Novak Djokovic arrived in Australia this week almost a year after he was deported from the country over his COVID-19 vaccination status. His return means Rafael Nadal will have more difficulty defending his 2022 Australian Open title, but the Spanish veteran says he is glad to see Djokovic competing.

"Novak is here. Good for tennis. Good for probably the fans," Nadal said. " ... Best players on the court always win." 

Djokovic -- the top searched athlete on Google in 2022 -- has won at Melbourne Park a record nine times. He will open his 2023 season at the Adelaide International 1 as he prepares to chase his 10th title at the Australian Open. Djokovic told Sport Klub that there are no hard feelings regarding his deportation and that he is excited to compete in Australia again.

"Melbourne is still close to my heart," Djokovic said. "What happened was not easy to digest for a while, but I had to move on. It won't replace all the good memories I've had in Melbourne over the years, I'm looking forward to playing there.

"It is my favorite Slam and my goal is to be in the best shape there."

Nadal and Djokovic are two of the most dominant players of the Open Era, having won all four major tournaments at least twice. They have often been referred to as part of the Big 3, a group that also included Rodger Federer -- who retired from the ATP Tour and Grand Slam competitions in 2022.

The two veterans had good seasons in 2022 as Nadal took the French Open trophy and Djokovic won Wimbledon. They've played each other 59 times, with Djokovic holding a slight 30-29 advantage in their all-time series. They are two very tough competitors who are often neck-and-neck when it comes to accomplishments. Nadal holds an all-time record 22 Grand Slams, while Djokovic is just one shy of tying him with a total of 21 major titles.

Nadal is currently training in Sydney as he will be competing at the inaugural United Cup, which starts on Dec. 29 and runs through Jan. 8. Nick Kyrgios, an Australia native, officially pulled out on the eve of the tournament due to injury

Nadal was not the only one happy to have Djokovic return to Melbourne Park. Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said in a press conference this week that Djokovic, per usual, will be the toughest competitor.

"Novak is welcome in Australia," Tiley said. "I think as we speak he has landed in Adelaide and he's going to be the player to beat (at the Australian Open) again."

The Australian Open is set to start at Melbourne Park on Jan. 16.