Novak Djokovic is certain to play the 2022 Australian Open in pursuit of a 21st Slam title, this former ATP coach is convinced.

Australia’s immigration minister recently confirmed that all visitors to the country will require double vaccination. This includes tennis players looking to compete at the first Slam of the new season.

Djokovic has not revealed his vaccination status and has himself said he is unsure of whether he will compete in Melbourne.

But Roger Rasheed, former coach to two-time slam champion Lleyton Hewitt and former world number three Grigor Dimitrov, is sure that the Serb will be among those fighting for the title in January.

“I think it’s a given that he will be here in January,” Rasheed told SEN Sportsday on Djokovic.

“[Djokovic] wants to break the record. It would be brilliant for us to have it in Australia and we’d want to have him break that record here (in Australia) as that’s something that will stand up in world sport.”

The Australian Open is Djokovic’s most successful Slam. The world. number one has nine titles Down Under, including his first at the 2008 tournament.

Moreover, Djokovic will be the three-time defending champion when the Slam rolls around. His last loss at the tournament came in the fourth round of 2018.

That day he fell in straight sets to eventual semi-finalist Hyeon Chung of South Korea.

Finally, Djokovic has competed at every Australian Open since his debut at the event in 2005.

He has reached at least the fourth round every year since 2007, except in 2017, where he lost in the second round to Uzbek wildcard Denis Istomin.