Novak Djokovic "Trying" To Get To Australian Open, Say Teammates

Djokovic has refused to confirm if he has been inoculated against Covid-19, with all participants at the opening Grand Slam of the year needing to be vaccinated or have a medical exemption.

Novak Djokovic could still play at the Australian Open, a Serbian teammate said Thursday, despite the world number one's last-minute decision to pull out of the ATP Cup in Sydney. The 20-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from this week's teams event days before its start on Saturday, heightening doubts over whether he will defend his Australian Open title. Djokovic has refused to confirm if he has been inoculated against Covid-19, with all participants at the opening Grand Slam of the year needing to be vaccinated or have a medical exemption.

Dusan Lajovic, who will lead Serbia's ATP Cup drive in Djokovic's absence, said his teammate wanted to be in Sydney.

"Unfortunately he's not able to come here, but, you know, he was I think hoping, same as we did, that somehow he will be here. Unfortunately he's not, and we've got to deal with it," he said.

"I don't know the official reason. Maybe the ATP knows. He just said that he's not coming to the ATP and trying to get to the Australian Open."

Pressed on whether Djokovic would be at Melbourne Park, Lajovic said: "I mean, the decision, he said, 'I'm not coming, guys,' to the ATP Cup. We'll see about the Australian Open.