The ball is back in Novak Djokovic`s court. Australian Open chief Craig Tiley confirmed on Saturday that everyone who attends the first Grand Slam tennis tournament of 2022 will need to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, including all the players. That continues to leave the status of defending and nine-time champion Djokovic in question. Djokovic, who has refused to say if he`s vaccinated, would be attempting to win a record 21st Grand Slam singles title. The tournament is scheduled for Jan. 17-30. The Victorian state government had earlier said only vaccinated persons would be allowed into the site for the tournament, and Tiley reiterated that on Saturday.

`Everyone on site, the fans, all the staff, the players, will need to be vaccinated,` Tiley said at the tournament`s official launch. `There`s been a lot of speculation about Novak`s position, he`s said it`s a private matter. `We would love to see Novak here, but he knows he needs to be vaccinated in order to play. He`s always said that the Australian Open is the event that puts the wind in his sails." Tiley said the no-vaccine, no-play edict was made by the Victorian state government in late October.