Enlarge image
Djokovic is gone.
But Melbourne!
Photo: Sydney Low / dpa
Novak Djoković is sitting on the plane, thousands of people watched on the Internet via flight radar as the machine with the first in the world rankings on board took off from Melbourne in the evening.
It was the end and climax of a story that meandered back and forth between drama, farce, farce and tragicomedy.
It's only mid-January, and even in this much-hyped sporting year of 2022, it's already going to be hard to top the excitement level of this story.
Because so much was superimposed here: sport, politics, the pandemic, even the issue of immigration, the reservations about vaccination.
All of this reaches deep into society and touches on important issues of coexistence.
That's why people were so interested in the topic.
The past few days have also been a kind of warm-up for this so politicized sporting year with the unspeakable Olympic hosts Beijing and at least as unspeakable World Cup host Qatar.
The matter as a stage
The entanglement of social, political and sporting issues - there are certainly still enough sports fans who regret it.
But you really can't deny it anymore, the indissoluble connection between sport and politics.
But the Causa Djoković was a stage par excellence.
Melbourne's gun smoke will clear, but it will be slow.
Novak Djoković will continue to be a big name in the Rod Laver Arena facility for the next few days.
It doesn't matter who ends up winning the men's competition, the white elephant in the room will be Novak Djokovic.
The whole affair was also a litmus test.
For tennis, for tennis players.
An opportunity to register exactly who has positioned himself, who has ducked away with his statements.
Rafael Nadal has gained in profile with his clear statements, one might have wished for them from Alexander Zverev, Germany's top player.
The tennis world is no longer the same if you compare it to three weeks ago.
It's still the greatest
In this respect, this Australian Open can no longer become a completely normal Grand Slam tournament.
But at least they can try.
The public owes this to all the players who have behaved in accordance with the regulations.
Playing a Grand Slam tournament is still the biggest thing for a tennis pro.
That cannot devalue the debate about Djoković either.
The statement with which the 34-year-old accepted the verdict on Sunday suggests that he is beginning to see it himself.
The relieved sigh that from now on tennis is finally being played and almost no longer as expected comes from the bottom of the heart despite everything.
Rafael Nadal, Emma Raducanu, Alexander Zverev, Andy Murray, Daniil Medvedev, Ashleigh Barty, Naomi Osaka - these are the names that should be the focus of the next 14 days.
Tennis is now demanding its rights again.
This wonderful sport deserves it.
