'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Shamil Tarpishchev, president of the Russian Tennis Federation, revealed that Russian tennis players "will have no problems" playing at the 2022 Australian Open. He also confirmed that all the Russian players who featured at the Davis Cup Finals and the Billie Jean King Cup are "already vaccinated."
According to the Victorian government's new mandate, only those players who have taken both jabs of the COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed to play at the Grand Slam.
In a recent interview with TASS, Tarpishchev spoke about Russian players' participation at the 2022 Australian Open.
"Our tennis players will have no problems with admission to the Australian Open. And all the leading athletes who played for the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup are already vaccinated," Tarpishchev said.
Russian players have had great success on the court this year, with the men winning the ATP Cup and the Davis Cup, and the women winning the Billie Jean King Cup.
Additionally, Daniil Medvedev won the US Open and the Russian pair of Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova bagged gold in the mixed doubles event at the Tokyo Olympics. They defeated another Russian pair of Aslan Karatsev and Elena Vesnina in the finals.
Dark clouds still looming over Novak Djokovic's participation at the Australian Open
Novak Djokovic has been included on the participants' list for the 2022 Australian Open. However, since his vaccination status is unclear, there is a possibility the 20-time Grand Slam champion will miss the Major.
The CEO of Tennis Australia, Craig Tiley, has already made it clear that the Serbian legend will not be granted any sort of medical exemption to play at the upcoming Grand Slam event. Even Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison stressed that there are no special rules for tennis players.
Recently, Pierre-Hugues Herbert became the first player to withdraw from the 2022 Australian Open because he is unvaccinated.
Djokovic is the defending champion in Melbourne and will be eyeing his tenth Australian Open title if he plays. He currently enjoys a 21-match winning streak at the Major and last lost a match in Melbourne in 2018.
