Novak Djokovic Flies Into Australian Open Vaccination Storm

9-time Australian Open champion will defend his last year’s title

Nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic will defend his 2021 title this year after being granted “medical exemption” from the vaccine mandate.

Novak Djokovic announced on Tuesday that he was on route to Melbourne with “exemption permission,” ending the drawn-out saga over whether the world number one would defend his title.

The Serb posted a picture of himself at the airport with a caption stating he was “heading down under.”

“Happy New Year, everybody! Wishing you all health, love and happiness in every present moment and may you feel love and respect towards all beings on this wonderful planet,” he wrote on Instagram.

“I’ve spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break and today I’m heading down Under with an exemption permission. Let’s go 2022.”

All participants at the tournament, which starts on January 1, must be vaccinated against Covid-19 or have a medical exemption, which is granted only after assessments by two panels of independent experts.

The Serb has repeatedly refused to confirm if he has been inoculated and previously expressed opposition to the coronavirus vaccine.

Tiley defended the integrity of the process that reviewed Djokovic's exemption application, which is overseen by national and Victorian state governments.

He revealed that 26 players or their support staff from the 3,000 or so travelling to Australia had asked for an exemption, and only a few of those had been successful.

"Any person who met those conditions has been allowed to come in. There's been no special favour. There's been no special opportunity granted to Novak," Tiley told Channel Nine television.

Melbourne and Sydney have both endured months of restrictions and lockdowns over the past two years and allowing Djokovic to travel was widely criticised.

Prominent physician Stephen Parnis, a former Australian Medical Association vice-president, said it sent an appalling message to people trying to stop the spread of Covid-19.

"I don't care how good a tennis player he is. If he's refusing to get vaccinated, he shouldn't be allowed in," Parnis said on Twitter.

"If this exemption is true, it sends an appalling message to millions seeking to reduce #Covid19Aus risk to themselves & others."

Among the conditions allowing entry without a vaccine is if a person has had Covid-19 in the past six months. It has not been revealed if that is the case with Djokovic.

Tiley previously said the two panels assessed each exemption without knowing the identity of the applicant, with reasons for granting approval remaining confidential.

Djokovic expressed his opposition to the Covid-19 vaccine in April 2020 when it was suggested they might be obligatory so tournament play could resume.

"Personally I am not pro-vaccine," Djokovic said at the time. "I would not like it for someone to compel me to be vaccinated so I can travel."