The organisers of the Australian Open are still unsure whether defending men's champion Novak Djokovic would compete in the Grand Slam next month.
34-year-old Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, has been silent on his immunisation status.
The Australian Open requires all players and staff to be vaccinated or have a medical exemption authorised by an impartial panel of experts.
"If Novak turns up," tournament director Craig Tiley said, "he'll be vaccinated or have a medical exemption."
Despite testing positive for Covid-19 this week, Tiley is certain that Rafael Nadal of Spain will compete.
Djokovic, who would be aiming for a record 21st men's Grand Slam victory and a 10th Australian Open title, is not on the list of competitors.
He's also been nominated to the Serbian team for the ATP Cup, which begins on January 1 in Sydney.
Applications for exemptions would be assessed first by an impartial panel of doctors from the fields of immunology, infectious disease, and general practice, according to Tennis Australia.
Applications that fulfill the national parameters established by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) will be subjected to a second evaluation by the Independent Medical Exemption Review Group, a government-appointed panel of medical specialists.
The Australian Open begins on January 17 in Melbourne, with players arriving in the country for warm-up events throughout the next week.
