An Australian Open Filled with Controversy

Photo courtesy of UNSplash

On January 29, 2023, Novak Djokovic found his way to a 22nd Grand Slam, bringing this year’s drama-filled Australian Open to an end.[i] For two weeks, players from across the globe gathered in Melbourne, Australia. Lifted bans, new rules, late-night matches, and more littered the headlines of the first Grand Slam event of the year.

The many stories of the Australian Open begin with the playing status of its most champion. The Serbian powerhouse, Djokovic, nearly missed the tournament altogether. In January 2022, the tennis star hoped to participate in the Australian tournament despite refusing to vaccinate against COVID-19.[ii] In a fiasco of incorrect visa applications and confusion as to his medical exemption from the vaccine, Djokovic was turned away at the Australian border for failure to adhere to the country’s pandemic policies.[iii] As a result of this, Djokovic was handed a ban by the Australian government, forbidding his entry into the country for three years.[iv] After months of back and forth between Djokovic’s team and Australia’s newly elected government,[v] the ban was overturned in November 2022, allowing tennis player to begin preparations for the upcoming Grand Slam.[vi]

With Djokovic’s ban lifted, spectators were able to turn their attention to a new rule of the tournament: verbal, off-court coaching is permitted when the player is on the same end of the court as their coach. In-match coaching has been a slowing growing custom in the world of tennis. Since 2008, various tournaments have begun toying with the idea of permitting players’ coaches to shout tips and tricks out mid-match.[vii] Most of these trials of in-match coaching have occurred in the women’s tour in matches outside of the Grand Slams.[viii]

However, the men’s tour has joined the trend, allowing the new rule in the 2022 U.S. Open and now again in the 2023 Australian Open.[ix] While the future of in-match coaching is unclear in the men’s tour, it has certainly made its mark with coaches and players. Commenting on the new rule, Dean Goldfine, coach of Ben Shelton, a young American who fought hard before leaving the Australian Open in the Quarterfinals, said “I feel like I’m cheating.”[x]

As this new rule is applied in tournaments to come, one thing must be ascertained. Who does this rule truly benefit? At any match, stars like Djokovic are expected to arrive with an entourage full of coaches, trainers, and family members. However, many newcomers to the courts do not possess the financial capacity to have a coach sit in stadium stands for hours on end. To make use of in-match coaching is a privilege that is not accessible to every player, creating a risk of advantage for wealthier athletes.

The Australian Open’s many controversies did not stop with the start of the first match. After a series of weather delays at the start of the tournament, the Australian Open’s committee was forced to reschedule matches.[xi] In doing so, the tournament became the host of several late-night games, including a 10:30 PM start time for the clash between Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis.[xii] After six grueling hours of rallies, the match ended just after 4:00 AM.[xiii] Both players were vocal throughout the match and afterwards, expressing their frustration with the Australian Open for allowing such late-night competition.[xiv]

While this year’s first Grand Slam was a dramatic start, it has marked the begging of what will be an eventful year of tennis. In the men’s tour, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will be in constant competition as both look to push their way to the front of the all-time Grand Slam leaderboard. In the women’s tour, a number of budding stars are expected to establish themselves, including Emma Raducanu, who won the 2021 U.S. Open, but fell from the spotlight after a host of injuries.

[i] Novak Djokovic Wins Australian Open, Wash. Post, Liz Clarke.

[ii] Novak Djokovic Entrance Into Australia Reportedly Delayed Following Mix-Up on Visa Application, PEOPLE, Natasha Dado.

[iii] Id.

[iv] Novak Djokovic visa ban overturned ahead of Australian Open, BBC, Tiffanie Turnbull.

[v] Involved in instituting Djokovic’s ban were government representatives whose terms ended with Australia’s May 2022 federal election. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-63645280).

[vi] Supra note IV.

[vii] The Quiet Coaching Revolution in Tennis that can Feel Like Cheating, NYTimes, Christopher Clarey.

[viii] Id.

[ix] Id.

[x] Id.

[xi] No plans to change Australian Open scheduling despite backlash over ‘crazy’ 4am finish, TheGuardian, Mike Hytner

[xii] Id.

[xiii] Andy Murray beats Thanasi Kokkinakis in near-six-hour Australian Open epic, TheGuardian, Tumaini Carayol.

[xiv] Supra note XI.