Aus Open: Rafa’s in, while another star shows Djoker his hand

He will be joined by 20-time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal who has also revealed he will be at Melbourne Park in January.

Thiem’s readiness to declare his vaccination status is at odds with the likes of Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev.

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Both Djokvoic and Medvedev have declined to confirm whether they have been jabbed.

The issue of vaccination is at the heart of discussions in world tennis in the run-up to the January 17-30 Grand Slam in Melbourne.

Nadal is also pushing to play in the World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi after a persistent left foot injury saw him withdraw from the US Open and Tokyo Olympics.

The 35-year-old Spaniard received treatment on the foot injury in Barcelona.

“My plan is to play Abu Dhabi in December and then in a tournament before Australia and then the Australian Open,” Nadal said. “That’s my goal.

“We’re working hard to make it happen. The injury in my foot still needs to get a little better, but I’m already training almost an hour and a half a day so that’s positive.

“Some days are better than others, but I’m starting to have a lot more positive days than negative ones.

“So, I’m on the right track. I’m training, I’m feeling better. I’m back on the court.”

The Victorian government has said unvaccinated players will not get special dispensation for the event, potentially ruling out Djokovic.

The nine-time Australian Open champion is one of many players who have refused to share their vaccination status, casting doubt over whether he will defend his title.

Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion, has no such qualms, confirming in Vienna his participation in Abu Dhabi in December ahead of the Australian Open.

“Needless to say that the vaccine is needed to play both events, and in my case I have already been vaccinated.”

Last week Thiem was advised by Austria’s health minister to get jabbed against Covid-19.

Thiem said earlier this month he was waiting for a vaccine from American pharmaceutical company Novavax, that uses an ‘inactivated’ protein-based formula.

“I recently saw some news about this and I had made it very clear that I would get vaccinated. Hopefully the next time things won’t be taken this far as I saw last week.”

Thiem, 28, and ranked ninth in the world, is returning after a wrist injury that has kept him off the court since August.

Djoker’s anti-vax pack grows

The guessing game continues over whether the world’s two best male players will be at the Australian Open after Novak Djokovic continued to be evasive about his vaccination status.

Despite Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews last week declaring no unvaccinated players would be playing at January’s Open, the world No.1 and his main rival, Daniil Medvedev, have both refused to reveal their intentions.

“I am going to decide on whether I go to Australia after I see an official statement from Tennis Australia,” Djokovic said at his press conference ahead of the Paris Masters.

“There has been no official announcement or statement and until that is out I won’t be talking about this any more. I do not want to be part of the stories about the assumptions and what ifs.

“When the official conditions and requirements to travel and play in Australia are out I will see what I personally do and also the bigger group of players as obviously the situation is different in Australia to most parts of the world.”

Medvedev, who practised with Djokovic last week, was somewhat cryptic in his response to the Australian Open.

“I’m willing to play Australia, but I won’t say if you’ll see me there, we’re going to see in January,’ he said.

“If you’re playing Australia, it’s obvious you are vaccinated. I just keep my medical records to myself.”

There was confusion last week after a leaked email from the WTA suggested unvaccinated players would be allowed to compete provided they quarantined for 14 days and submitted to regular coronavirus testing.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison then said unvaccinated players would be permitted to enter the country if they received an exemption, which the host state, Victoria, would need to apply for on behalf of players.

But Andrews quickly ruled that out, saying as far as he was concerned the issue had been resolved because he wouldn’t be allowing unvaccinated players to play at Melbourne Park.

Tennis Australia have continued to remain silent on the issue.

Both the men’s and women’s tours have been slow to embrace the vaccination with at least 25 per cent still to be jabbed.