Icon hails 'the best scenario' after Djokovic twist

Todd Woodbridge has hailed the looming instrumentality of Novak Djokovic to the Australian Open arsenic "the champion scenario" pursuing the government's determination to overturn the Serbian superstar's visa ban.

Djokovic was deed with a three-year prohibition from entering Australia aft helium was deported connected the cusp of this year's tourney owed to COVID-19 vaccination presumption issues.

But the telephone by Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to abolish the prohibition volition spot Djokovic sprout for his 10th Australian Open rubric successful January.

READ MORE: Government makes bombshell Djokovic decision

READ MORE: The infinitesimal that lit simmering Formula 1 feud

READ MORE: Rival's audacious bid for $1.25 cardinal prima revealed

"I deliberation that's the champion script for the tourney due to the fact that we privation the champion players playing astatine the Australian Open," Woodbridge said connected 2GB's Wide World of Sports radio.

"What goes into the Open successful presumption of the build-up, prizemoney, what it does to our estimation astir the satellite — we privation the precise champion to beryllium allowed to travel present and allowed to play.

Novak Djokovic is escaped to vie successful the 2023 Australian Open aft his visa prohibition was scrapped by the national government. (Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)

"And fixed the information that Novak has won it 9 times, helium goes into it present arsenic a dense favourite aft not being allowed to play this year."

Djokovic has slipped to eighth successful the ATP rankings, but that's mostly owed to the erstwhile satellite No.1 being absent from this year's Australian Open and US Open.

Another important origin is the ATP's determination to not grant ranking points astatine Wimbledon effect to the All England Club's prohibition connected players from Russia and Belarus.

If the prohibition hadn't been imposed, Djokovic would person earned 2000 ranking points for winning the Wimbledon title.

"In my mind, the rankings this twelvemonth are truthful skewed," Woodbridge said.

"He is inactive the No.1 subordinate successful the satellite and to person him backmost is truly important."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!

Tennis satellite No.1s: Here is each antheral to clasp apical spot since machine rankings were introduced