Australia to overturn Djokovic visa ban, paving way for Australian Open return
(CNN) – After a tumultuous fortnight in which a slew of women’s golfers came under scrutiny, the Australian Open is ready to be back in full swing Friday.
The tournament’s only remaining major at the end of the year, which has been off for over a week, also gets back to business after the International Tennis Federation banned Novak Djokovic from competing for a 12-month period after a urine sample in April was found to have been below the permitted test limit to determine whether the Serb was doping.
The tennis world has been waiting with bated breath to see whether the ATP will overturn the ban, even as it continues to urge fans to stay in their seats.
The Australian Open can resume if the ATP grants an appeal.
The sport’s governing body will now have to weigh up whether to allow a full-blown major, where more than half of the field is expected to return.
The world No.1 Djokovic, who has won five of the last 11 major championships, has never played at the Australian Open since he left the sport three years ago.
He announced Wednesday that he was backing away from his planned return, saying he will focus on the start of the season, his next two tournaments over the Australian summer and his plans to play in November’s US Open.
“I have one eye on the US Open,” Djokovic told ESPN.com
Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber say they are ready to face the ban
“I have all the passion I need to play well, and I’ll start preparing for that tournament, and then we will see.”
But while the ATP has said it will allow the ATP Finals in February to keep open its “business as usual” policy, it has yet to reveal what it expects out of the current calendar.
Djokovic was initially suspended by
