Australian Open 2022: Tennis boss Craig Tiley dodges Novak Djokovic question, says world No.1 will be back in 2023

Under-fire Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley says Novak Djokovic will play in the 2023 Australian Open, but he’s dodged one big question about the embarrassing saga.

Under pressure tennis boss Craig Tiley has put out the welcome mat for Novak Djokovic to return to the Australian Open next year.

The TA chief executive again deflected questions about his handling of Djokovic’s visa debacle, saying he was hoping to bring back Djokovic in 2023.

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The world number one was deported from Australia and had his visa cancelled for three years in a legal stoush over his vaccination status.

Mr Tiley, who has been the boss of Australia’s grand slam for almost a decade, has refused to resign over how Djokovic’s visa was handled.

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And he again sidestepped questions about whether he would have done anything differently during a series of interviews on Sunday.

When asked if nine-time Djokovic would return to the Australian Open next year, Mr Tiley said: “Yes.”

“Obviously it has got to play out this year but that will be his intention. At the end of the day he’s the No.1 player in the world, he loves the Australian Open,” he told the ABC.

TA boss Craig Tiley has rolled out the welcome mat for Novak Djokovic to return to next year's Australian Open.

Mr Tiley said he would not be able to answer specific questions about Tennis Australia’s involvement in the visa meltdown until a review was conducted.

“Then we’ll be able to answer that more specifically once we’ve done that,” he said in a separate interview on Channel 9, the tennis broadcaster.

“Every single day …. we knew we had to bring in so many people from around the world over 100 countries in an environment that kept on changing.

“Even today conditions and rules and regulations are changing. That is where we constantly sought clarity.”

Mr Tiley rejected reports that Djokovic, who has returned to Belgrade, Serbia, was suing the Australian government for $6m.

Tennis Australia’s handling of Covid-19 rules has come under fire, with world number three Alexander Zverev questioning why players were not routinely tested.

He suggested that he was worried players who were still in the tournament would have the virus.

Mr Tiley rejected suggestions that he had put the interests of players over the health of the Victorian public.

“Our intention is doing the right thing and being safe. That won’t change,” he said.

“As I said every year we’ll look at it and be able to see what can be done differently or not.”

Djokovic was tied with Roger Federer, who is injured, and Rafael Nadal on 20 grand slam wins going into the Australian Open.

The 34-year-old, who thrives on breaking records, was “mentally hurt” that he lost his chance to overtake them at Melbourne Park this month.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used sweeping powers to deport Djokovic over fears his appearance at the Open would stoke anti-vaccination activism

Tiley has once again avoided questions about the handling of the Novak Djokovic deportation fiasco. Picture: Getty Images.

Tiley dodges big Djoker question — again

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley has again dodged questions about Novak Djokovic and the handling of the deportation fiasco.

A week after the world No 1 was booted out of the country after having his visa cancelled for a second time, plenty of questions remain unanswered.

Djokovic has been seen in public on multiple occasions since he arrived back in Serbia, but Tiley had little to say when asked if he would have done anything differently.

“Just prior to Novak leaving we did talk and have a conversation as well as during the period of it,” Tiley told Channel 9.

“There are reports that he is having some quiet time with his family and where we are today is that we’re focused on delivering a great event.”

It is the second time this week the CEO has sidestepped questions regarding the global circus that was Djokovic’s time in Australia.

On Thursday, Tiley said he believed tennis authorities had “already addressed those questions” surrounding whether either he or Tennis Australia had done anything outside of the guidelines provided to them by the federal and state governments.

There have also been reports Djokovic is preparing to sue the government for $6 million.

So is there any truth to them?

“No. I mean there is going to be lots of reports on different things but we … are focused on delivering an event right now,” Tiley told ABC.

Tiley spoke to Novak before his deportation but has dodged questions on the World No.1. Picture: Michael Klein.

When pushed a little harder on the topic, Tiley did everything he could to redirect the focus to Australian players reaching the fourth round and the obstacles the event has overcome in years gone by.

“What we do every single year at the end of the Australian Open, we bring the entire team together. We spend several weeks reviewing what we’ve done. What we did really well and what we can improve. All the relevant authorities can participate and have that review done.

“We get into planning for 2023. We do that every year. We had challenging times. Last year first time we brought in players during the pandemic in 21. Year before we had smoke haze and bushfire. Year before that significant extreme heat. Every year we have challenges that we face.

“We’ll continue to deliver a great event which now has a few Aussies going into the second week. Quite a few Aussies playing doubles.”

Tiley added he was confident Djokovic would be back to reclaim his title in 2023 despite the Serb facing a three year ban from Australia.

“At the end of the day he’s the number one player in the world and he loves the Australian Open.

“I think he’s got to play out this year but that will be his intention.”

Djokovic’s coach broke the team’s silence this week slamming the “unjust and unhealthy” deportation from Australia.

Marian Vajda lifted the lid on the “suffering and long term effects” the fiasco will have on the 34-year-old.

“I needed to calm down,” he told Sport Klub. “I still don’t understand why they did it to him.

“It was an unhealthy and unjust decision, based on the assumption that Djokovic could do or influence something that had not yet happened.

“I haven’t communicated with him since he arrived in Belgrade. It is clear that it hit him mentally, it will hurt him for a long time and it will be difficult to get it out of his head.”

Originally published as Australian Open 2022: Tennis boss Craig Tiley dodges Novak Djokovic question, says world No.1 will be back in 2023