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The drama of the Australian Open began early this year, before the first match, with the saga of whether or not the top men’s player, Novak Djokovic, would be allowed to stay and play despite being unvaccinated.
His deportation was followed by another off-court dispute, when a Melbourne-based artist wore a T-shirt to the tournament that read, “Where is Peng Shuai?”
It was a reference to the Chinese tennis star who, in November, disappeared from public view for weeks after accusing a top Chinese leader of sexual assault.