After ATP Cup withdrawal, doubts over Djokovic’s presence at Australia Open

Novak Djokovic’s journey to Australia stays unsure after he reportedly pulled out of the ATP Cup.
When he confirmed his participation for the multi-nation occasion that can happen in Sydney beginning January 1, he had booked Serbia’s entry into the competitors. Withdrawing now, at a time when no crew will be changed, has uncovered a loophole within the event’s qualification course of.
It additionally provides to the doubts round Djokovic travelling to Melbourne to defend his Australian Open crown.
Why has Djokovic determined to pull-out of the ATP Cup?
While it stays unclear, a member of Djokovic’s crew was quoted by Serbian newspaper Blic, saying: “It is 99 percent sure that Novak won’t go to the ATP Cup. He is training (in Belgrade) but he has decided to give that tournament a miss.”
A video additionally appeared on social media of the 20-time Grand Slam champion rallying on a road in Belgrade with Serbian handball participant Petar Djordjic on Christmas Day.
The Victoria state authorities had earlier made it clear that no one – participant, workers, officers, volunteers, followers – can be allowed to enter Melbourne Park with out proof of being totally vaccinated. Djokovic nonetheless has been adamant in preserving his standing disclosed, which is what has put his participation on the occasions in Australia doubtful.

There has additionally not been any info if Djokovic has obtained a medical exemption.
Will he skip the Australian Open?
Based on Djokovic’s father, Srdjan’s latest interview, the highest seed won’t give in to “blackmail” and can as an alternative skip the occasion. As it stands, with Djokovic’s refusal to reveal his vaccination standing, he’ll miss the yr’s first Major – which he has gained 9 instances together with the final three editions.
However, final week Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley confirmed that there might be a small variety of unvaccinated people allowed in Melbourne Park with medical exemptions.
“Everyone who is coming in is vaccinated and there will be a small percentage – a very small percentage – that will have a medical exemption,” he mentioned. “If Novak shows up at the Australian Open, he’ll either be vaccinated or he’ll have a medical exemption. (It’s) his choice on his medical condition, it’s his choice to keep personal and private like all of us would do with any condition we may or may not have. We are not going to force him or ask him to disclose that.”

Does his absence change the ATP Cup line-up?
It would have, however provided that the withdrawal occurred earlier than December 7. Serbia – the winners of the inaugural version of the occasion in 2020 solely certified this yr due to Djokovic’s World No 1 rank. The identical was the case for World No 15 Dominic Thiem, who withdrew final week attributable to non-Covid associated sickness.
Once the draw was made on December 7, all groups had been locked in.
The qualification course of is actually primarily based on the best ranked participant from a rustic. If hosts Australia’s highest ranked participant is just not slotted excessive sufficient within the 18-team occasion, they’re given a wild card – which is the case this yr.

Based on this course of, there are just a few unbalanced groups competing. Greece certified due to World No 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, however their subsequent highest ranked participant is World No 398 Michail Pervolarakis. Similarly, Chile (World No 17 Cristian Garin and No 139 Alejandro Tabilo), Georgia (Nikoloz Basilashvili 22 and Aleksandre Metreveli 569), Norway (Casper Ruud 8 and Viktor Durasovic 346) and Poland (Hubert Hurkacz 9 and Kamil Majchrzak 117) have lopsided squads. Meanwhile, with Thiem’s withdrawal, Austria is spearheaded by Dennis Novak, ranked 119.
Which nations have missed out?
The United States’ Taylor Fritz was the bottom ranked participant, No 23, to safe qualification for his nation. Serbia wouldn’t have certified primarily based on Dusan Lajovic’s thirty third rank, and Austria wouldn’t be there with Novak’s spot both.
Had Serbia and Austria withdrawn in time, they might have been changed by World No 28 Grigor Dimitrov’s Bulgaria and World No 30 Marin Cilic’s Croatia, who had been the Davis Cup finalists simply final month.