• Novak Djokovic was working out at Melbourne Park for the first time.
• Serb cancelled his practice match against Daniil Medvedev.
• Australian government lifted three-year ban imposed on him.

Novak Djokovic suffered an injury scare during a practice match against Daniil Medvedev ahead of the Australian Open on Wednesday.

The Serbian was working out at Melbourne Park for the first time since his deportation last year.

Because of a hamstring injury, the former world number one “didn’t want to risk anything” and cancelled his practice match.

“I simply want to avoid any major scares before the Australian Open. I just felt it pulling and didn’t want to risk anything bad happening “Djokovic said.

He said that he still had the same hamstring pain from last week, when he won the Adelaide International 1 championship.

Djokovic said, “I played a set and apologized to [Medvedev], and he was understanding.

When Djokovic returned to Australia to compete in the Adelaide International, he was warmly received.

When the 21-time Grand Slam champion stepped onto the court, the crowd cheered and chanted “Novak, Novak,” and they did so for the duration of the entire first match.

When Djokovic entered the country without a COVID-19 immunization at a time when there were still strict quarantine regulations in place and vaccination documentation requirements, he was deported about a year ago.

The Australian government lifted the three-year ban imposed on Djokovic following his deportation in November and granted him a visa to return for the Australian Open, which begins on January 16.

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