Over the past 12 months, significant challenges by way of policy and politics have impacted professional tennis.

Chief among them have been participation constraints around the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by considerations about the eligibility or otherwise of Russian and Belarussian competitors following the invasion of Ukraine.

With the Australian Open beginning today, where are we currently at with these quandaries?

The COVID conundrum

Public health measures during the pandemic inevitably impacted the staging of tennis tournaments, with organisers obliged to follow local protocols.

At many events this meant players needed to be vaccinated or receive a medical exemption. For the most part this wasn’t an issue. For example, in January 2022 the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) reported 97 of the top 100 men’s players were vaccinated.

This suggested most tennis professionals – much like workers in many other occupations – accepted the public health objectives underpinning vaccination. Doubtless, though, some tennis players had been vaccine hesitant, most notably Novak Djokovic, who famously declared he’d rather miss grand slams than be vaccinated against COVID.

Just a year ago, Djokovic attempted to take part in the Australian Open on the basis of a “medical exemption”, which prompted raised eyebrows among sceptics.

Eventually, the Serb was required to leave Australia after his visa was cancelled, a decision that caused a furore in his home country.

Djokovic says he cannot forget the experience of being deported, but hopes he will be received respectfully by fans at this year’s tournament.

https://twitter.com/StephenKhan/status/1481922123740422148?t=_tJEFwdrRUS_CkzsA_iFuA&s=19

As with wider society, tennis authorities have adjusted their COVID protocols over time, particularly in the wake of the “opening up” of society following widespread vaccination.

At the 2022 Australian Open, players needed to be vaccinated or medically exempt, but in 2023 there’s no such requirement. Indeed, this year there’s no COVID testing at all, and players can even take part should they contract the virus during the tournament.

The contrast over 12 months is stark, with some players finding it hard to reconcile what was required back then to now.

The Ukraine imbroglio

Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, endorsed by its ally Belarus, shows no sign of resolution.

Full Story https://theconversation.com/the-2023-australian-open-pauses-a-year-of-profound-political-tensions-in-tennis-197397