Last month, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that a poll showed 30 per cent of Australians now supported allowing them into the country, up from 14 per cent in January last year.
This time, with Djokovic’s poor form, the leaves are also falling.
There are signs that age and injury are catching up with Nadal. The 36-year-old has lost six of her last seven matches at the US Open, where she was knocked out in the last 16 by Frances Tiafoe.
Roger Federer is no longer in the picture, having retired last year, and world number one Carlos Alcaraz – the new kid on the block – is out of Melbourne with injury.
Daniil Medvedev, a losing finalist in 2021 and 2022, is the most obvious threat aside from Nadal, who beat Djokovic in the 2021 US Open final to win his only major title.
Djokovic, however, beat the Russian 6-3, 6-4 in the Adelaide semi-finals last week and Medvedev has slipped to world No.8.