‘Hate it’: Players slam fresh Djokovic theory

Djokovic was sensationally deported on Sunday night, quashing his attempt at a record 21st grand slam.

But whoever wins the Open shouldn’t be diminished, according to Liam Broady.

“I hate the argument that there should be an asterisk next to this year’s winner of the Australian Open,” he wrote.

“That would mean every tournament that the world number 1 doesn’t play should have an asterisk next to it. For most of the 60’s the best players didn’t even play the slams.

“I hate the argument that there should be an asterisk next to this years winner of the Australian Open,” he wrote. “That would mean every tournament that the world number 1 doesn’t play should have an asterisk next to it. For most of the 60’s the best players didn’t even play the slams

Aussie star Ash Barty will take on Lesia Tsurenko in the first match of the Rod Laver Arena night session.

ROD LAVER ARENA

From 11am: Tatjana Maria vs Maria Sakkari (5)

Camila Osorio vs Naomi Osaka (13)

Not before 2pm: Marcos Giron vs Rafael Nadal (6)

From 7pm: Ash Barty (1) vs Lesia Tsurenko

Alexander Zverev (3) vs Daniel Altmaier

MARGARET COURT ARENA

From 11am: Fiona Ferro vs Elina Svitolina (15)

Matteo Berrettini (7) vs Brandon Nakashima

Qiang Wang vs Coco Gauff (18)

From 7pm: John Millman vs Feliciano Lopez

Ajla Tomljanovic vs Paula Badosa (8)

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11am KYRGIOS SPEAKS OUT

Play is underway at Melbourne Park but we’re all talking about Novak.
As more and more players voice their opinions on the world No 1’s deportation, Nick Kyrgios has engaged with Alize Cornet who suggested no one had come to Djokovic’s defence.

“I know too little to judge the situation,” the Frenchwomans tweeted.

“What I know is that Novak is always the first one to stand for the players. But none of us stood for him. Be strong.”

Enter Nick, who, despite his “feud” with Djokovic has been vocal in his defence of the Serb.

RLA starts with Tatjana v Sakkari.

10:39am DJOKOVIC SAGA SLAMMED BY NBA STARS
Even NBA players are buying into the “unbelievable” Novak Djokovic saga.

Chicago Bull Nikola Vucevic has accused the Australian government of “using their power to show off and get extra followers”.

And he also delivered a drive-by to Djokovic’s fellow tennis stars on the way through.

“What happened to Djokovic is just politicians using their power to show off and get extra followers. It has nothing to do with Covid or visa issues, they used him to try to make themselves look better,” the Montenegrin wrote on Twitter.

“Very sad how they treated a First Class Champion!

“Also to me the saddest thing in this whole Djokovic thing was that only two of his colleagues stood by his side, everyone else got scared…unbelievable.”

Vucevic’s opponent, New York Knick Evan Fournier disagreed in simple style.

“Na bro,” he countered.

Vucevic has been overwhelmingly slammed by hundreds of his followers for his stance.

10:26am NO ASTERISK NEXT TO WINNER

Nick Kyrgios’ first-round opponent has slammed the suggestion that the Australian Open winner would have an “asterisk” in the absence of Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic was sensationally deported on Sunday night, quashing his attempt at a record 21st grand slam.

But whoever wins the Open shouldn’t be diminished, according to Liam Broady.

“I hate the argument that there should be an asterisk next to this year’s winner of the Australian Open,” he wrote.

“That would mean every tournament that the world number 1 doesn’t play should have an asterisk next to it. For most of the 60’s the best players didn’t even play the slams.”

“I hate the argument that there should be an asterisk next to this years winner of the Australian Open,” he wrote. “That would mean every tournament that the world number 1 doesn’t play should have an asterisk next to it. For most of the 60’s the best players didn’t even play the slams

9AM HUNT SHUTS DOWN ACCUSATIONS

Federal health minister Greg Hunt has dismissed the notion that in deporting Djokovic, the government has made Djokovic the face of the anti-vaccination movement.

He maintained that Djokovic’s attempt at a medical exemption to enter Australia was “not a valid one” – as he said he had communicated to tennis authorities.

“Our position had been very clear from the outset, as was put in writing by me on the 29th of November to Tennis Australia,” he told ABC Radio National.

“(It was) not about any individual player … (I told them) that prior infection is not a valid medical exemption.

“That exemption was provided in the Victorian process. That wasn’t accepted, it had never been the position and the Australian government has been very clear on the same rules for all.

“We’re very clear on these rules. It applies to everybody without fear or favour.”

He said that the rules had been “enforced even-handedly” and that the government had “set a very clear position”.

But Hunt was adamant that despite the arguments of the Serbian star’s lawyers, he was not something of a “pin-up” for the anti-vaccination movement.

“No, we’ve set a very clear position,” he said.

“I guess the alternative position … (would have been) why would you have one rule for him and one rule for everybody else around the world and for Australians?

“We’ve got two things here – a consistent rule and a strong position which is pro-vaccination. The consistent rule is about entry into Australia and control of our borders … it’s actually a very strong example of democracy being equal for all. I think that’s an important Australian principle.”

ROD LAVER ARENA

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

T. Maria

M. Sakkari 5

Women’s Singles • Round 1

C. Osorio

N. Osaka 13

Day session – Not before 2:00pm AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

M. Giron

R. Nadal 6

Night session – From 7:00pm AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

A. Barty 1

L. Tsurenko Q

Men’s Singles • Round 1

A. Zverev 3

D. Altmaier

MARGARET COURT ARENA

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

F. Ferro

E. Svitolina 15

Men’s Singles • Round 1

B. Nakashima

M. Berrettini 7

Women’s Singles • Round 1

Q. Wang

C. Gauff 18

Night session – From 7:00pm AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

F. Lopez

J. Millman

Women’s Singles • Round 1

A. Tomljanovic

P. Badosa 8

JOHN CAIN ARENA

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

L. Djere

D. Shapovalov 14

Men’s Singles • Round 1

H. Hurkacz 10

E. Gerasimov

Day session – Not before 5:00pm AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

S. Kenin 11

M. Keys

Day session – Not before 7:00pm AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

J. Munar

A. Karatsev

KIA ARENA

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

B. Bencic 22

K. Mladenovic

Men’s Singles • Round 1

G. Monfils 17

F. Coria

Men’s Singles • Round 1

C. Norrie 12

S. Korda

Day session – Not before 5:00pm AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

B. Krejcikova 4

A. Petkovic

1573 ARENA

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

A. Hartono Q

A. Anisimova

Men’s Singles • Round 1

K. Khachanov 28

D. Kudla

Day session – Not before 3:00pm AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

O. Jabeur 9

N. Parrizas Diaz

Day session – Not before 5:00pm AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

S Caruso 1

M Kecmanovic

COURT 3

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

A. Vukic WC

L. Harris 30

Women’s Singles • Round 1

D. Yastremska

M. Brengle

Day session – Not before 3:00pm AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

V. Azarenka 24

P. Udvardy

Day session – Not before 5:00pm AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

Y. Hanfmann Q

T. Kokkinakis WC

COURT 5

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

R. Albot Q

Y. Nishioka

Women’s Singles • Round 1

T. Martincova

L. Davis

Women’s Singles • Round 1

A. Kalinina

J. Pegula 21

Day session – Not before 4:00pm AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

O. Otte

C. Tseng WC

COURT 6

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

A. Potapova

C. Giorgi 30

Women’s Singles • Round 1

S. Sorribes Tormo 32

K. Flipkens

Men’s Singles • Round 1

T. Etcheverry Q

P. Carreno Busta 19

Day session – Not before 4:00pm AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

T. Griekspoor

F. Fognini

COURT 7

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

C. Alcaraz 31

A. Tabilo Q

Men’s Singles • Round 1

J. Duckworth

A. Mannarino

Women’s Singles • Round 1

V. Kuzmova Q

X. Wang WC

Women’s Singles • Round 1

S. Zheng

M. Trevisan Q

COURT 8

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

A. Sasnovich

Q. Zheng Q

Women’s Singles • Round 1

D. Parry WC

M. Kostyuk

Men’s Singles • Round 1

C. Moutet

L. Pouille WC

Women’s Singles • Round 1

P. Martic

J. Teichmann

COURT 12

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

H. Rune

S. Kwon

Men’s Singles • Round 1

A. Bublik

E. Escobedo LL

Women’s Singles • Round 1

E. Ruse

J. Paolini

COURT 13

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

F. Bagnis

C. Garin 16

Women’s Singles • Round 1

V. Kudermetova 28

C. Liu

Day session – Not before 3:00pm AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

D. Vekic

A. Riske

Day session – Not before 5:00pm AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

R. Opelka 23

K. Anderson

COURT 14

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

M. Fucsovics

D. Lajovic

Women’s Singles • Round 1

M. Zanevska

K. Juvan

Men’s Singles • Round 1

N. Milojevic Q

M. Mcdonald

Women’s Singles • Round 1

G. Minnen

J. Cristian

COURT 15

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

B. Bonzi

P. Gojowczyk

Women’s Singles • Round 1

B. Pera

E. Alexandrova

Men’s Singles • Round 1

D. Koepfer

C. Taberner

COURT 16

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Women’s Singles • Round 1

Y. Putintseva

H. Tan

Men’s Singles • Round 1

S. Kozlov WC

J. Vesely

Women’s Singles • Round 1

V. Gracheva

L. Bronzetti Q

Men’s Singles • Round 1

S. Querrey

L. Sonego 25

COURT 17

Day session – From 11:00am AEDT

Men’s Singles • Round 1

F. Delbonis

P. Martinez

Women’s Singles • Round 1

A. Van Uytvanck

C. Bucsa Q

Women’s Singles • Round 1

A. Schmiedlova

J. Ostapenko 26

Men’s Singles • Round 1

M. Kukushkin Q

T. Paul