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MELBOURNE. — Novak Djokovic drew unseeded fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in the opening round of the Australian Open tennis tournament yesterday as he awaits a decision over whether or not he will be allowed to remain in the country.

The top seed, who is seeking a 21st Grand Slam title and fourth successive Australian Open crown, saw his visa refused upon his arrival in Melbourne last week due to questions over his Covid-19 vaccination exemption. Djokovic won a subsequent court appeal against the cancellation, however, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke is personally empowered to revoke his visa for a second time and is still mulling over a decision.

Tennis Australia delayed the draw for an hour-and-15 minutes for an unknown reason. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison held a news conference to update the country about the coronavirus pandemic at 3:45pm, although he declined to say when a decision about Djokovic might be made.

Top seed Djokovic (34) practised again at Melbourne Park earlier on yesterday, with Australia’s immigration minister Alex Hawke still considering whether to revoke his visa again and throw him out of the country. The world number one is hoping to win a record-extending 10th Australian Open men’s title which would be his 21st Grand Slam triumph, moving him clear of Switzerland’s Roger Federer and Spain’s Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic has not been vaccinated against Covid-19 and had his visa revoked when he arrived in Australia last week, following questions over the vaccine exemption that would have permitted him to enter.

However, on Monday a judge dramatically overturned the decision and ordered his release from an immigration detention hotel after finding that border officials had not followed proper procedure.

On Wednesday, Djokovic admitted to meeting a L’Equipe journalist on December 18 despite knowing he had tested positive for Covid, as well as there being mistakes on his immigration forms.

Djokovic is scheduled to open his title defence either on Monday or Tuesday.

Even if he is allowed to stay, there are questions over his preparations and fitness for a gruelling two-week tournament after he was forced to spend four nights in a detention facility. If he is ruled out of the opening Grand Slam of the year before its starts, his place will be taken by a so-called “lucky loser”, someone who lost in the final round of qualifying.

Six-seeded Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal is also gunning for a 21st Slam title and he will start against American Marcos Giron.

World No. 2 and US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, a Melbourne finalist last year, opens against Switzerland’s Henri Laaksonen.

On the women’s side, top seed and world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, who won the Adelaide International last week, will meet a qualifier first up as she targets a maiden Grand Slam title on home soil. Defending champion Naomi Osaka, seeded 13, is in Barty’s quarter of the draw and will start her title defence against Colombia’s Camila Osorio. She is projected to meet the Australian in the round of 16. — Sky Sports.