"We want the very best to be allowed to come here and allowed to play" - Todd Woodbridge on Novak Djokovic's return to the 2023 Australian Open

Former Australian tennis player Todd Woodbridge has insisted that it is essential for tournaments to have the best players such as Novak Djokovic. He has also gone on to claim that even though Carlos Alcaraz presently holds the No. 1 spot, the Serb is the real No.1.

The 21-time Grand Slam champion was recently cleared to compete in the Australian Open after his three-year visa ban was overturned. Following that, Todd Woodbridge stated in an interview with Wide World of Sports Radio that since the Serbian has won the Melbourne Major nine times and was unable to compete this year, he will enter the 2023 Australian Open as the heavy favorite.

“I think that's the best scenario for the tournament because we want the best players playing at the Australian Open,” Woodbridge said. “What goes into the Open in terms of the build-up, prize money, what it does to our reputation around the world — we want the very best to be allowed to come here and allowed to play. And given the fact that Novak has won it nine times, he goes into it now as a heavy favorite after not being allowed to play this year.

Woodbridge asserted that this year's rankings are skewed. He believes the Serb is the best player in the world despite being placed at No.5 since he was unable to compete in the Australian Open, US Open, and four Masters 1000 events. That resulted in the 35-year-old missing out on the chance to earn up to 8,000 ranking points. Additionally, because Wimbledon did not award ranking points, he was denied the opportunity to gain 2,000 as this year's winner.

“In my mind, the rankings this year are so skewed. He is still the No. 1 player in the world and to have him back is really important,” Woodbridge said.