By Karen Sweeney in Melbourne for Australian Associated Press
Tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic is still focused on defending his Australian Open title and winning a record-breaking 21st men's grand slam tournament but the road to Melbourne has been bumpy and the path is not yet clear.
October/November - Djokovic applies for a temporary visa to enter Australia and compete in the 2022 Australian Open.
November 18 - Granted a Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa.
December 14 - Attends a basketball match in Belgrade, Serbia, where attendees contract COVID-19.
December 16 - Djokovic is 'tested and diagnosed' with COVID-19. Documents show he was tested at 1.05pm and the result was returned at 8.19pm.
December 17 - Attends events in Belgrade, including a trophy presentation for junior tennis players. Pictured not wearing a mask and posing side-by-side indoors with a large group of children.
December 18 - Djokovic says he learned of the positive test and cancelled several scheduled events. Goes ahead with an interview and photoshoot with French newspaper L'Equipe, saying he felt 'obliged' because 'I didn't want to let the journalist down'.
December 22 - Returns a negative PCR test.
December 25 - Filmed by a fan playing tennis on a street in Belgrade. He is also photographed alongside Serbian handball player Petar Djordjic.
December 30 - Tennis Australia notify Djokovic he has been granted a temporary medical exemption, allowing him to play in the Australian Open despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19. The exemption was granted on the basis of a previous infection, based on the opinion of one panel of medical experts and reviewed by another.
December 31 - Filmed training at a tennis academy in Sotogrande, Spain. The academy post photos on its Instagram of him posing for pictures with
