Australian Open boss Craig Tiley revealed he knew «Novak Djokovic was nervous about going back to Australia.» Last year, Djokovic was arrested and eventually detained in Australia. At the end of 2022, Djokovic was informed that he could return to Australia at the start of the 2023 season.
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But there was lots of speculation about how Djokovic would be received considering what happened 12 months earlier. “This was a particularly emotional year for Novak. I could see the tension in his face when I first saw him.
We had seen each other several times in the past year and I knew he was nervous about going back to Australia. He was very nervous when he first arrived and flew directly to Adelaide. There was a lot of press and talk about him when he walked in and he was booed,» Tiley said on the AO Show, according to Tennis365.
Tiley praises Australian crowd for supporting Djokovic
Djokovic enjoyed a very triumphant return to Australia, winning back-to-back titles at the Adelaide International and the Australian Open. Djokovic’s support and reception was quite good during his time in Australia.
“You have to give credit to the Australian sporting public who enjoy the sport. We are the fairest in the world. When we look at greatness, we respect it and encourage accordingly. That’s exactly what happened and it was really welcome.
He went through a difficult time last year for a number of different reasons, mostly driven by his own choice. But he came and once he settled in Adelaide, South Australia he did a magnificent job of welcoming him,» Tiley said.
Djokovic, 35, is now a record 10-time Australian Open champion. By winning this year’s Australian Open, Djokovic tied Rafael Nadal on the list of all-time Grand Slam records with 22 Grand Slams. In the spring, Djokovic will try to win the French Open and set a new record for most Grand Slam titles.
