Former world number one, Novak Djokovic lost his first match on his return to Australia. The Serbian was deported from Australia last January due to issues with his visa. He was then handed a ban from entering the country for three years until it was recently overturned. 

At his first game in the country, Djokovic received a more-than-warm reception, with the court packed with fans of his. The reception may have been overwhelming for Djokovic, as he had earlier revealed that he was unsure of how he would be received when he returned to Australia. He even got to sign autographs and take pictures with some of his fans at the end of the match. 

On Monday, Djokovic paired with Vasek Pospisil in a doubles match, and they lost against the duo of Tomislav Brkic and Gonzalo Escobar at the Adelaide International. It is on Tuesday that his singles campaign would begin when he goes up against Frenchman Constant Lestienne. 

The Adelaide International is used by players as a warmup for the Australian Open, which starts on the 16th of January. Last year, Djokovic was denied the chance to compete in the Grand Slam he has won the most of, but this year, he now has the chance to do so. 

In any case, the 2023 season is starting out miles better for Djokovic than 2022 did. For the first few months of 2022, Djokovic was disoriented as a result of what transpired in Australia. Even though he later went on to win a Grand Slam in the year, it was quite obvious that the events in Australia had shaken him a little. 

Hopefully, the warm reception he has received so far will allow him to find closure from last year’s event and focus more on the task at hand.

Leon Osamor