More Australian support Djokovic's ban overturn
Djokovic was denied the chance to increase his record haul of nine Australian Open titles this year
Serbian Novak Djokovic will be allowed to play in the 2023 Australian Open after he was banned from attending this year's competition.
However, a survey has found less than a third of Australians believe he should be allowed to participate.
The former world No 1 was prevented from taking part in the 2022 Australian Open because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. Djokovic, 35, attempted to enter the country under the pretense of a 'medical exemption' but was deported from Australia and given a three-year ban after having his visa revoked.
Public perception has swung more favourably in the Serb's direction since then, but a survey conducted by Resolve Strategic (via Sydney Morning Herald) has shown just 30 per cent of Australians are in support of Djokovic playing. That's a significant increase on the 14 per cent who backed his participation in January 2022.
Meanwhile, the number of people strongly opposed to Djokovic attending next year's Australian Open has fallen in kind. Seventy-one per cent of those surveyed in January said he shouldn't be allowed to play, but that figure had fallen to 41 per cent in December.
The number of people in support of Djokovic featuring at the competition has more than doubled. However, those who voted that they didn't care either was has grown at a similar rate, increasing from 15 per cent at the start of the year to 29 per cent 11 months on.
Djokovic was denied the chance to increase his record haul of nine Australian Open titles this year, having won the major three years straight prior to 2022. In his absence, rival Rafael Nadal beat Daniil Medvedev to claim the crown and move clear of 'Nole' in the Grand Slam record stakes.
While the research results would appear to suggest Australians are warming to Djokovic specifically, Resolve director Jim Reed suggested there's more to the shift. Instead, he noted the general change in demeanour regarding Covid acceptance, with many countries now more open to accepting travellers who may not have received the vaccine.
