Djokovic could miss tournaments due to vaccine status - Gilbert

Novak Djokovic was on course to break the men's record for Grand Slam titles but his aversion to receiving the Covid-19 vaccine could jeopardise his participation in future tournaments, ESPN tennis analyst Brad Gilbert said on Wednesday.

It remains unclear whether Djokovic, the winner of a record-equalling 20 Grand Slam titles, will be allowed to compete at next week's Australian Open amid a dispute with the Australian government over his medical exemption to taking the vaccine.

A judge released the world No. 1 from an immigration detention center this week after his visa was cancelled by border officials.

Djokovic has since blamed human error for a mistake in his immigration paperwork and apologised for breaking isolation for a photoshoot when he had Covid-19 last month, raising the prospect that he could still be deported.

"If you'd have asked me six months ago or nine months ago, even at the US Open, I thought he was well on his way to smashing the men's record," Gilbert, a coach and former player, told reporters.

"I actually thought that he would end up passing Margaret Court. I thought he might get 25 to 27 majors."