The chances of seeing Novak Djokovic compete at the Australian Open in January have taken a hit after confirmation he has withdrawn from the ATP Cup in Sydney.
Event organisers revealed the Serbian star's omission in a brief statement that confirmed Djokovic had been replaced but didn't go into any further detail.
"Serbia remains in the competition and will be led by world number 33, Dusan Lajovic," ATP Cup event organisers said in a statement.
The tournament starts on January 1 with the Australian Open to begin on January 17 in Melbourne.
Djokovic's involvement in the opening grand slam of 2022 has been the subject of much speculation with all participants required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a medical exemption granted by an independent panel of experts.
The 34-year-old has, however, refused to reveal his vaccination status over the past year with Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley unsure whether Djokovic had requested a medical exemption.
With Roger Federer confirming he won't be playing in Melbourne and Rafael Nadal also in doubt after recently testing positive for COVID-19, Djokovic's involvement has taken on greater importance, according to Australian star Nick Kyrgios.
"I honestly don’t know Novak’s current situation with anything COVID related or what he needs to play,” Kyrgios told The Age.
"I hope he’s had a good Christmas and I hope he’s able to play in the sport for as long as possible, because I’ve voiced before I think Federer, Nadal and Djokovic need to be [playing].
"If all three aren’t there, it’s a disaster. It’s an absolute disaster for the fans and the people that enjoy tennis.
"Yes, it’s obviously a good opportunity for some of the younger guys to come through and make an impact but, as a whole, we do need them to be part of the sport.”