Fans at Australian Open are warned they’ll be KICKED OUT if they sledge Novak Djokovic too much

Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley says fans will be ejected from Melbourne Park if they unfairly target Novak Djokovic at this year’s Australian Open after the Serbian star’s deportation drama during last year’s grand slam.

Djokovic, who was detained last year for entering the country without being vaccinated against Covid, is aiming for a 10th Australian Open singles title in Melbourne and is only able to play after having his three-year visa ban lifted.

Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley says fans will be ejected from Melbourne Park if they unfairly target controversial Serbian star Novak Djokovic at this year’s Australian Open

Djokovic, who was detained last year for entering the country without being vaccinated against Covid, is aiming for a 10th Australian Open singles title in Melbourne and is only able to play after having his three-year visa ban lifted

The 21-time Grand Slam winner has said he is concerned that he may get a hostile reception while playing – but Tiley has confirmed that fans who sledge Djokovic unreasonably will be kicked out.

‘If they disrupt the enjoyment of anyone else – boom, they are out,’ he told the Herald Sun. ‘We don’t want them on site.

‘They can stay away or we will kick them out.’

The 21-time Grand Slam winner has said he is concerned that he may get a hostile reception while playing – but Tiley has confirmed that fans who sledge Djokovic unreasonably will be kicked out (Djokovic pictured being deported in 2022)

Tiley confirmed that security will be on alert for any fans who are there to make trouble, saying they could be potentially banned from the event depending on their behavior.

Former Australian Open winner Stan Wawrinka claims tennis fans should be able ‘do whatever they want’ at this year’s event. 

‘If they go over the limit (then yes), but I think they should be allowed to do whatever they want,’ he told the Herald Sun.

Former Australian Open winner Stan Wawrinka (pictured) claims tennis fans should be able ‘do whatever they want’ at this year’s event

‘They do it every year with every player – if they don’t like the player, or they like another one, they will boo one and cheer for the other one. That’s tennis. That’s sport. That’s what you want.

 ‘So of course, things happened with Novak last year, and I think there was many mistakes from different (parties) – not only Novak.’

Tiley (pictured) confirmed that security will be on alert for any fans who are there to make trouble, saying they could be potentially banned from the event depending on their behavior

The former world number one was all smiles when he touched down in Melbourne earlier in the week after triumphing at the Adelaide Open.

He will play Nick Kyrgios in a ticketed exhibition match on Friday, before the Australian Open kicks off the following Monday.

Prior to the tournament in Adelaide, Djokovic told media he is happy to be back in Australia, but he will never forgot what happened last year.

The former world number one was all smiles when he touched down in Melbourne earlier in the week after triumphing at the Adelaide Open

‘You can’t forget those events. It’s something I have never experienced before and hopefully never again but it is a valuable life experience for me and something that will stay there. But I have to move on,’ he said.

‘What happened to me 12 months ago was not easy for me or my family or team,’ he added. ‘It was disappointing to leave the country like that but I was really hoping to get permission to play back in Australia. It’s a country where I have had tremendous support. I have always played my best tennis here.’

Djokovic, who would equal Rafael Nadal’s tally of 22 Grand Slam singles titles by landing the title in Melbourne, insisted January’s forced removal from Australia — which his father compared to the persecution of Jesus Christ — had not changed his view of everyday Australians.

Djokovic is pictured after winning the Australian Open in 2021

‘Melbourne is close to my heart. What happened was not easy for me to digest but I had to move on and those circumstances will not replace what I have had in Melbourne and Australia. So I come in with positive emotions.’