Novak Djokovic is set to take on fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the Australian Open — although it remains uncertain whether the world No 1 will be allowed to play.
The 34-year-old defending champion, who practised at the Rod Laver Arena on Thursday, drew unseeded Kecmanovic for his opening match that should take place on Monday or Tuesday. Organisers Tennis Australia had delayed the draw for more than an hour, without saying why.
Top-ranked Djokovic had his visa cancelled on arrival in Melbourne last week when his vaccination exemption was rejected, but he won a legal battle on procedural grounds that allowed him to stay in the country.
Australia's immigration minister Alex Hawke was still considering whether to deport the nine-time champion, who is not vaccinated against Covid-19. The tournament starts next Monday.
Tournament director Craig Tiley declined to answer questions about Djokovic after the draw.
If he’s allowed to stay, Djokovic’s bid for a men's record 21st major title could mean a quarter-final against No 7-ranked Matteo Berrettini and possibly a semi-final against Rafael Nadal or third-seed Alexander Zverev.
He is tied with Nadal and Roger Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles, missing a chance for the all-time record when he lost the US Open final to Daniil Medvedev last year.
Spanish sixth seed Nadal starts against unseeded American Marcos Giron. Russian second seed Medvedev, who lost to Djokovic in last year's final in Melbourne, will play Swiss Henri Laaksonen.
Britain's former world No 1 Andy Murray was drawn against 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili — a day after beating the Georgian in the Sydney Tennis Classic.
In the women's draw, defending champion Naomi Osaka takes on Colombia's Camila Osorio while world No 1 Ashleigh Barty starts her quest for a first home Grand Slam title against a qualifier.
Top seed Barty could face Japan's Osaka, seeded 13th as she returns after a four-month break from the sport, in the fourth round. After that, No 5 Maria Sakkari or No 9 Ons Jabeur could be waiting in the quarter-finals.
Sofia Kenin, who was champion in 2020, has a tough opener against fellow American Madison Keys and could meet No 18 seed Coco Gauff in the third round. Britain's US Open champion Emma Raducanu, seeded 17th, faces American world No 68 Sloane Stephens.
Meanwhile, world No 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas has described Djokovic as having been “playing by his own rules” ahead of the tournament.
On Wednesday, Djokovic released a long statement explaining why he was not in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 in December — that paved the way for his medical exemption for the first Grand Slam of the year — and saying his agent had made a mistake in filling out his Australian travel declaration.
“For sure, he's been playing by his own rules and has been doing what not many players had the guts to do, especially after the ATP announced certain criteria for players to enter the country,” Greece's Tsitsipas told India's WION news channel.
“No one really thought they could come to Australia unvaccinated and not having to follow the protocols … it takes a lot of daring to do and putting the Grand Slam at risk, which I don't think many players would do.”
The ATP, which governs men's tennis, has said 97 of the top 100 male players are vaccinated. Asked if Djokovic should defend his title at Melbourne Park next week as his visa saga continues, Tsitsipas said: “There are two ways to look at it. One side of it is that almost every single player is fully vaccinated … and have followed the protocols to play in Australia.
“On the other hand, it seems not everyone is playing by the rules … a very small majority chose to follow their own way, which kind of makes the majority look like fools.”
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
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Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
Rashid & Rajab
Director: Mohammed Saeed Harib
Stars: Shadi Alfons, Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab
Two stars out of five
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Two-step truce
The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.
By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National.
The second stage will be the complete withdrawal of all pro-government forces and rebels from Hodeidah city, to be completed by midnight on January 7.
The process is to be overseen by a Redeployment Co-ordination Committee (RCC) comprising UN monitors and representatives of the government and the rebels.
The agreement also calls the deployment of UN-supervised neutral forces in the city and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure distribution of aid across the country.
FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg
Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg
Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
