Tennis players who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 will find it difficult to obtain a visa to participate in the Australian Open the country’s immigration minister said on Wednesday.

Clarifying Australia’s visa requirements, Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke said international tennis players would need to have been fully vaccinated to play at the January Grand Slam.

“You’ll need to be double vaccinated to visit Australia. That’s a universal application, not just to tennis players. I mean that every visitor to Australia will need to be double vaccinated,” Mr Hawke told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio.

It is unclear if Novak Djokovic will be returning to defend his Australian Open title as a result of these new rules.

The World No. 1 is awaiting further clarification, citing privacy as the reason for not making his vaccination status public.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has recently softened his stand on getting the vaccination but is waiting for ongoing developments regarding how the vaccine mandate will impact the Open.

The 23-year-old has stated that he will get the vaccine as soon as it becomes mandatory and hinted that if he had to do it to take part in a big tournament, like the Australian Open, he would proceed with getting it done.

“I will play under the conditions that have been set now. I think it’s fair,” Tsitsipas said.

Ahead of the the BNP Paribas Open last week, Tsitsipas was asked whether he’d received the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I’m sorry but I’m not able to provide my medical … any of my medical records, or any of my medical status. Thank you,” Tsitsipas said.

READ MORE: Stefanos Tsitsipas makes it to the BNP Paribas quarter finals with another comeback victory

Maria Sakkari is already fully vaccinated, and is slated to make it to the Australian Open next year.

“I think it will not be like this year’s Australian Open, at least I hope so. We hear that things will be different for the vaccinated players, I have been fully vaccinated since March. I will have done the third dose by then,” she said during her VTB Kremlin Cup press conference earlier this week.

“I think Tennis Australia will do its best and we will not quarantine again for two weeks. We do not know the rules yet, but I do not think it will be the same.”

Tennis Australia (TA) released a statement saying that they are currently working with the government to sort out all the details of entry and compliance.

This comes after TA CEO Craig Tiley had raised concerns earlier in the year regarding the implementation of a mandate, worried it would deter some of the world’s biggest players.

“Over the last few months we have been working productively with all the relevant authorities on the conditions that will be in place for fans, players and our staff in January,” TA said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Our understanding is that the details around international visitors entering the country are yet to be decided and we hope to have more information soon.”

More than a third of professional players remain unvaccinated, according to recent media reports.