Novak Djokovic was greeted warmly upon his return to Australia, where he made a rare doubles appearance at the Adelaide International.
Because of his Covid-19 vaccination status, the Serb was deported prior to the 2022 Australian Open. In November 2022, Djokovic’s three-year visa ban was lifted, allowing him to enter the country.
Throughout the match, the 21-time Grand Slam champion was greeted by cheers and chants of “Novak, Novak” as he walked onto the court.
On his return, he and Canada’s Vasek Pospisil were defeated 4-6 6-3 10-5 by Tomislav Brkic and Gonzalo Escobar.
He is the top seed in singles in Adelaide and will face Frenchman Constant Lestienne in the first round on Tuesday as he prepares for the Australian Open, the season’s first major, which begins on January 16.
The 35-year-old, who is currently ranked fifth in the world, stayed behind after the loss to sign autographs and pose for photos with fans.
The nine-time Melbourne champion is just one Grand Slam title short of Rafael Nadal’s men’s record of 22.