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Novak Djokovic Marks His Return To Australian Open With Victory.
Novak Djokovic won his opening-round match against Roberto Carballes Baena, making his Australian Open comeback memorable.
After being banned from Australia more than a year ago for violating Covid-19 regulations, Novak Djokovic was greeted warmly upon his return to Melbourne.
The Serbian thanked the crowd for a “welcoming reception he could only dream of” after he made the perfect return to the Australian Open with a victory over Roberto Carballes Baena.
In his first Grand Slam encounter in Melbourne since his contentious deportation in 2022, Djokovic triumphed 6-3 6-4 6-0.
With flags and banners flying all over Rod Laver Arena, the 35-year-old tennis legend entered the arena to raucous applause.
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Chants of “Nole! Nole! Nole!” also rang around the 15,000-capacity arena after Djokovic won crucial points in a one-sided first-round match against Spain’s Carballes Baena.
“I couldn’t ask for a better start to the tournament,” the fourth-seed Serbian star said.
“Thank you for giving me such a welcoming reception that I could only dream of,”he told the packed crowd.
“I feel really happy that I’m back here in Australia and on the court where I have had the biggest success in my career.
“Definitely this court is the most special court in my life.”
Recall, Djokovic’s visa was revoked by the Australian authorities because of his Covid-19 vaccination status, preventing him from participating in the Australian Open last year.
On his return to Australia earlier in January, he had already gotten a lot of encouragement from fans.