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The deportation appeal of the man was lost in Australia.
Novak was deported after losing his appeal, so he won't be able to compete in the Australian Open. 1:06
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A lot of tennis fans will try to convince you that the Australian Open is more open and unpredictable without Novak Djokovic.
That line of thinking makes sense on the surface. The Serbian superstar has won the tournament a record nine times, and is a favorite to win again at Rod Arena.
There's an argument to be made that the likely Australian Open victor is now clearer than it was 24 hours ago when he was still in the main draw. Less than 18 hours before the gates opened to the public for Day 1 of the Australian Open, Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic was told that he would have to leave the country immediately because his Australian visa wouldn't be renewed.
Within seconds of the highly anticipated and controversial announcement, a new favorite emerged in the form of world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev.
The gangly Russian burst onto the scene late in the year when he reached the final of the US Open, losing a heartbreaking five-set thriller to Nadal. He made his first Australian Open final appearance last year but once again came up short, this time to a rampant Djokovic, who after the match declared "it's only a matter of time" before Medvedev goes all the way.
The Australian Open will be held in 2022.
It was correct. Six months later, Medvedev was a major champion after he defeated Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the US Open final.
"The US Open gave me more confidence in my life and in my tennis life as well," he told the media at his pre-tournament news conference on Saturday. I could be a little bit worried if I wasn't playing well. I feel like I know more about how I can play.
The overwhelming favorite is Medvedev. Since the beginning of the year, Medvedev leads all players in match wins, finals appearances and titles on hard courts, while only Djokovic has more wins over top 10-ranked players on the surface. At 25, he's the youngest active men's Slam champion.
The team formats have been a success for Medvedev. He was part of the Team Europe squad which won the Laver Cup 14-1.
It has been a remarkable rise for Medvedev who this week admitted that he was unsure if he was going to become a professional when he was a junior.
As a teenager, he decided to focus more on his studies than on practicing. It wasn't until he and his French coach began working together in the summer of last year that a life as a professional began to appear realistic.
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Tennis watchers have tried to pass the torch to a generation before, and many have been burned. For the first time in 15 years, no member of the Big Three will be the favorite at a Slam when the Australian Open is held in 2022.
The Australian Open is missing two of its top players as they recover from knee surgery. The only Big Three member who could ruin Medvedev's fortnight was Nadal.
The Big Three are still winning a lot of Slams, but they are getting older. There is nothing coming. There is always someone to come.
The Norman Brookes trophy is a chance for Medvedev to double his Slam tally. He would need to make history if he is to go all the way, as no man in the Open era has won his first two majors in a row.
On the eve of the tournament, Medvedev issued a warning to the other 127 men in the draw.
He said he was more confident than last year.
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