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The Australian Open cannot be moved. It will still be a major tournament even if its grand slam status is moved. It certainly would not be to New Zealand.
In the world of tennis, if it is not a Grand Slam, it is not a major tournament. It’s makes zero sense to have a Grand Slam in a country that will not allow the greatest male tennis player ever (arguably) to play in the tournament. BTW, it would not have to be NZ. I can assure you there are plenty of other countries in the Pacific region that would love to have a Grand Slam and would welcome Novak with open arms.
Will be watching for the backlash Australia suffers as a result of this fiasco and whether there is a movement to move the tournament. There are plenty of other countries that would love to have this tournament and would welcome Djokovic with open arms. I am fairly certain if Djokovic is banned for 3 years from Australia, there will be a strong movement to move the tournament elsewhere.
It's a fiasco id agree, however one about a newly introduced immigration law, and the different interpretation of it by the federal and state governments and tennis Australia.
The one major thing that has always secured the Australian open as a major is money, that is what it comes down to.
It's a fiasco id agree, however one about a newly introduced immigration law, and the different interpretation of it by the federal and state governments and tennis Australia.
The one major thing that has always secured the Australian open as a major is money, that is what it comes down to.
How legitimate can a Grand Slam be when the worlds #1 male player is barred from playing in the tournament, and possibly for 3 years? If the latter happens, I fail to see how this Grand Slam can remain in Australia. BTW, there are other countries in the region that could secure the necessary funds to host a Grand Slam tournament.
Update: Perhaps the PM is realizing the ramifications of a 3 year ban of the world’s #1 male player. I just read where the PM is saying Novak might be able to avoid the 3 year ban. Given the way he was treated, if I was Novak, I would never step foot in Australia again.
How legitimate can a Grand Slam be when the worlds #1 male player is barred from playing in the tournament, and possibly for 3 years? If the latter happens, I fail to see how this Grand Slam can remain in Australia. BTW, there are other countries in the region that could secure the necessary funds to host a Grand Slam tournament.
Update: I just read where the PM is saying Novak might be able to avoid the 3 year ban. Given the way he was treated, if I was Novak, I would never step foot in Australia again.
Its easy, if you attract 99 of the worlds top 100 players, and very few tennis tournaments can do that. Players pull out of the Australian open all the time for various reasons.
Indeed their are other countries in the region who can, the status of the open was bought into question several times in the 1990's. I distinctly recall Michael Chang (Then well within the world top 10) choosing to chase money elsewhere and to boycott the open.
Though i dare say most rich countries in the region, would have never allowed Djokovic in, in the first place. My wife and kids are all Korean Citizens, and I certainly know I cannot go to Korea unvaccinated, while china has already been blacklisted by the Women's Tennis Authority due to politics, which would leave places like Japan, Thailand and Indonesia as potential hosts.
Would you call into questions the PM's ability to overturn the 3 year ban, to the same level as the immigration ministers ability to deport him? Its just the way things work.
How legitimate can a Grand Slam be when the worlds #1 male player is barred from playing in the tournament, and possibly for 3 years? If the latter happens, I fail to see how this Grand Slam can remain in Australia. BTW, there are other countries in the region that could secure the necessary funds to host a Grand Slam tournament.
Update: Perhaps the PM is realizing the ramifications of a 3 year ban of the world’s #1 male player. I just read where the PM is saying Novak might be able to avoid the 3 year ban. Given the way he was treated, if I was Novak, I would never step foot in Australia again.
I doubt that there will be a three year ban. The PM and government have now achieved desired result. Any further bans down the track would suit no purpose.
The mess created by the Australian government should ask questions as to its suitability to hold a Grand Slam, but that poster was right. At the end of the day it is about money.
I doubt that there will be a three year ban. The PM and government have now achieved desired result. Any further bans down the track would suit no purpose.
The mess created by the Australian government should ask questions as to its suitability to hold a Grand Slam, but that poster was right. At the end of the day it is about money.
After this fiasco, I would think and hope there will be a legitimate and serious discussion about moving this Grand Slam. The fact that a country would not allow the world’s #1 male player (and arguably the greatest male tennis player ever) to play in one of the four Grand Slam tournaments should weigh heavily toward moving this Grand Slam elsewhere. The fact that the leaders of this country could not come up with a solution that would have allowed Djokovic to participate in the tournament is reprehensible and should not be overlooked by the powers-that-be in the tennis world. I suspect there will be some backtracking now (but stopping short of allowing tournament participation) by the PM, but the damage has been done to Novak, the tennis world, the Australian Open, and especially Australia.
After this fiasco, I would think and hope there will be a legitimate and serious discussion about moving this Grand Slam. The fact that a country would not allow the world’s #1 male player (and arguably the greatest male tennis player ever) to play in one of the four Grand Slam tournaments should weigh heavily toward moving this Grand Slam elsewhere. The fact that the leaders of this country could not come up with a solution that would have allowed Djokovic to participate in the tournament is reprehensible and should not be overlooked by the powers-that-be in the tennis world. I suspect there will be some backtracking now (but stopping short of allowing tournament participation) by the PM, but the damage has been done to Novak, the tennis world, the Australian Open, and especially Australia.
You seem to be particularly outraged because Djokovic happens to be the world's #1 male player. Would you have been as outraged if - under the exact same circumstances - the player had been world's #107 and someone you had never even heard of?
That's how your post is coming across, and is exactly what a majority of Australians were angry about - one law for the ordinary person and another for the rich and famous.
This man has taken the focus of the event and other professional players by this distraction.. and should be ashamed in many ways.. Anyone else would have been mortified by the kind of furor this man has caused,
You seem to be particularly outraged because Djokovic happens to be the world's #1 male player. Would you have been as outraged if - under the exact same circumstances - the player had been world's #107 and someone you had never even heard of?
That's how your post is coming across, and is exactly what a majority of Australians were angry about - one law for the ordinary person and another for the rich and famous.
A better question would be: would the world’s #107 player been allowed to enter the country and play in the tournament if he had had a documented case of Covid, but was not vaccinated? There needs to be an investigation as to how many players in the tournament are unvaccinated and how many unvaccinated people, in general, that had a documented case of Covid, were allowed to enter the country. My guess is there are others that were allowed entrance who like Djokovic had proof that they had previously had Covid, and were unvaccinated. If this proves to be the case, why was Djokovic singled out?
A better question would be: would the world’s #107 player been allowed to enter the country and play in the tournament if he had had a documented case of Covid, but was not vaccinated? There needs to be an investigation as to how many players in the tournament are unvaccinated and how many unvaccinated people, in general, that had a documented case of Covid, were allowed to enter the country. My guess is there are others that were allowed entrance who like Djokovic had proof that they had previously had Covid, and were unvaccinated. If this proves to be the case, why was Djokovic singled out?
The world number 82 doubles player, a lady called Renata Voracova, was deported for exactly the same reason as Djokovic, it was more Djokovic's arrival as a well known anti-vaxer, that actually caused the border authorities to look into the medical exemptions, and why they were issued. I am certain the federal government has since gone through the records of every player at the open who arrived under a medical exemption by now, and would be starting on the other immigration entries who came in under a medical exemption since the law was introduced as well.
Their is nothing stopping an unvaccinated person entering Australia, they just need a complying medical exemption certificate, though it has been made very clear previously having COVID is not a valid reason for the exemption, as you can see there were news articles dating back almost 3 months before this happened stating that is the exact stance of the federal government. Naturally if someone wishes to challenge the validity of that stance and the law, they are allowed to.
Last edited by danielsa1775; 01-17-2022 at 02:16 AM..
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