VA few days ago, the Australian media spread a big story, the quintessence of which would not even have been suitable for a short message in the miscellany in previous years. The whole thing can be summed up in one sentence: Novak Djokovic has set foot on Australian soil! The sensation may not have been quite as great as in 1969, when the American Neil Armstrong was the first person to set foot on the moon, or like last year, when Djokovic took the liberty of entering the country without a corona vaccination certificate, but with an alleged special permit.
But when the Serb from Dubai left the plane stairs in Adelaide on Tuesday, it was a small step for the tennis pro and a huge risk for the government and the Australian Tennis Association. Because there is great fear that the state affair surrounding the forced departure of Djokovic, who refuses to vaccinate, at the beginning of the year will continue to have an effect. Craig Tiley, who as head of Tennis Australia did not cover himself with fame any more than the government at the time, relies on the principle of hope. He has “great confidence” in the Australian public and fans that they will react “as we hope they will react”.
