Unvaccinated players barred from competing at next year's Australian Open

There has been a lot of uncertainty regarding the status of unvaccinated players at next year's Australian Open, but it has finally been confirmed that players who are not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will not be allowed entry into the country.

Australia's Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said the COVID-19 vaccine mandate applied to all visitors to the nation, with no exception made for players looking to compete at the first Grand Slam of 2022.

"The Government in establishing its borders has said that you'll need to be double vaccinated to visit Australia," Hawke told ABC Radio. "That's a universal application, not just to tennis players.

"I mean that every visitor to Australia will need to be double vaccinated."

The latest figures have revealed that more than a third of players on the men's and women's tour are not double jabbed. The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has revealed that just 35% of players were fully vaccinated, while the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) revealed the figure stood at 40% as of the start of last week.

This news casts further doubt on the participation of defending champion Novak Djokovic, who has been openly opposed to Covid-19 vaccination and refuses to reveal his inoculation status.

"I don't have a message to Novak," said Hawke. "I have a message to everybody that wishes to visit Australia. He'll need to be double vaccinated."

Health Minister Greg Hunt added: "The rules apply to everyone without fear or favor. It doesn't matter whether you are number one in the world or you are anything else."