"He can be a diplomat after he retires" - Tennis fans miffed by Rafael Nadal's comments on Novak Djokovic's return to the Australian Open

World No. 2 Rafael Nadal has welcomed the Australian government's decision to overturn the visa ban imposed on Novak Djokovic. However, the wording of his comments has left some fans a little disappointed.

In a shocking series of events, Djokovic was deported from Australia earlier this year over his refusal to take up the COVID-19 vaccine. The Serb thus couldn't participate in January's Australian Open, and was even handed a three-year ban from entering the country.

With a notable easing of the pandemic restrictions in recent times, the Aussie government has now overturned the ban on Djokovic (which otherwise would have been in effect until 2025). And Nadal, during his recent press conference at the ATP Finals in Turin, expressed delight at the inclusion of the 21-time Slam champion in the Major Down Under next year.

"Tennis is better when all the best players are on the court. Even if it was a big mess last year, not good for our sport, it's the past. Novak able to play again is the best possible news. Happy for him, the tournament, the fans," the Spaniard stated at the press conference.

Tennis fans, however, are split over Nadal's statement. Many have expressed annoyance at what they perceive to be an about-turn from the opinion he held back in January. Back then Nadal had emphasized the need to get vaccinated, asserting that it was important to follow the rules no matter what.

One fan ironically expressed their displeasure with the Australian Open champion:

"He can be a diplomat after he retires," the fan wrote.

Another fan wanted to know what had happened to change the Spaniard's stance on the rules and consequences.

"What happen-ed to "rules are rules"? What happen-ed to "actions have consequences?" the user tweeted.

Some fans, however, did support the 22-time Grand Slam champion. One user stated:

"Rules are rules. The rules gets less stricter when the matter in hand gets less sensitive and important. Not hard to understand"

Here are a few more fan reactions:

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"It’s important, the last official match of the season, so I am happy for that" - Rafael Nadal delighted at finishing his season on a high

Rafael Nadal at the ATP Finals

While Rafael Nadal's hopes for a first-ever ATP Finals title were shattered after consecutive losses in the opening matches, he ended the tournament on a winning note. The Spaniard outclassed third seed Casper Ruud in straight sets on Thursday to sign off from the tournament as well as the season in positive fashion.

After the match, Nadal conveyed his happiness at being able to finish the season the way he did. The 36-year-old stated:

"It’s important, the last official match of the season, so I am happy for that. At the end I am happy about that… I was able to win against a great player."

Nadal also expressed gratification at having been able to perform well over the course of the entire season.

"I can’t ask for more. At my age, to be able to achieve and be competitive means a lot for me," the Spaniard asserted.