SYDNEY (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic was named in the Serbian team for the men’s season-opening ATP Cup in January in Sydney, although the world number one was yet to commit to the Australian Open following the organisers’ mandate for COVID-19 vaccinations.
The draw for the third edition of the ATP Cup was held in Sydney on Tuesday and the organisers said top seed Serbia, headlined by Djokovic, will lead Group A, which will also feature Norway, Chile and Spain.
Djokovic has repeatedly declined to reveal whether he has been vaccinated against COVID-19, with Australian Open organisers Tennis Australia confirming that all players would have to be vaccinated to compete in Melbourne.
To play without being vaccinated in Sydney, the capital of New South Wales state, the state government would have to apply for an exemption for Djokovic and the 34-year-old would have to undergo 14 days quarantine upon arrival.
That same option was also open to the Australian Open organisers, but the government in Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, has said it would not apply for exemptions.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Richard Pullin)
