Australia grants Djokovic visa for 2022 Open after denying tennis star one over COVID-19

Australia no longer requires visitors to be vaccinated.
Novak Djokovic, Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 11, 2022

Australia on Tuesday reportedly made the decision to grant tennis star Novak Djokovic a visa to play in the 2023 Australian Open after the country denied him entry earlier this year because of his COVID-19 vaccination status.

While Australia prohibits people who had their visas revoked from entering the country for three years, the nation's immigration minister, Andrew Giles, overturned Djokovic's ban, according to several news reports.

Australia no longer requires visitors to be vaccinated, Djokovic was denied entry into the country in January to compete in the 2022 Australian Open because he was not vaccinated. Djokovic received a medical exemption for the vaccine, but when he arrived in Australia, his visa was canceled and he was ordered to leave. 

Giles' office would not comment on Djokovic's visa out of privacy. Djokovic said Monday that his attorneys were still waiting to hear from the government.