Melbourne, Dec 29 (AP) World number one Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2022 ATP Cup, with his participation at the Australian Open - which marks the first Grand Slam of the year - still in doubt.

Djokovic's withdrawal from the men's teams event in Sydney comes amid mounting speculation over the 34-year-old's COVID-19 vaccination status, with the 20-time Grand Slam champion having refused to reveal publicly whether he has been jabbed.

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All players and staff at the Australian Open must be vaccinated or have a medical exemption granted by an independent panel of experts.

The Australian Open starts in Melbourne on 17th January, and players have started to arrive in the country for warm-up events over the coming week.

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In a statement, Tennis Australia said the Serbian team at the ATP Cup would be led by world number 33 Dusan Lajovic. AP

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