Speaking with Code Sports, Tiley said of his plans, “I’d like to have a whole precinct full of statues of the great tennis players,”
“Every year we put up a new statue of an Australian and this precinct is about tennis. It was built with tennis in mind and we have so many people that come here from right around the world.
“And I think there is more we can offer those fans from the tennis precinct.”
And Tiley believes a statue of Djokovic is the right place to begin.
“I mean, he’s won this event 10 times and I still think he can win it again,” he said.
“I think any time we can recognise tennis or the champions of the game I’m going to go for it. Whether it’s Novak, Roger Federer, Serena Williams – the list goes on.”
Djokovic is no stranger to Aussie headlines, perhaps most notably during 2022 when he was booted out of Australia and banned from competing because of his vaccination status in 2022.
He later claimed that during this time he was ‘poisoned’ down under while he was kept in a luxurious Melbourne apartment.
His time at the 2025 Australian has been no less controversial. The 37-year-old has regularly clashed with fans, hecklers, opponents, officials and media for almost two decades now, with many labelling the former World No.1 as arrogant.
Most recently, it was his beef with Channel 9 broadcaster Tony Jones that landed him in the news, after the tennis star called Jones’ comments “insulting and offensive”.
All of these controversies have left Australians feeling unsure of the decision to honour Novak Djokovic with a statue.
One fan on X summarised the feelings of many, writing ““He deserves it but the funny thing is that in the country where the most grand slams don’t love you, a statue does not replace the love of the public.”
Djokovic was booed off the court following his withdrawal against Zverev at the Australian Open this year, and he later said he is unsure if he will return to Melbourne.
Asked if it might have been his final AO appearance, Djokovic said, "I've had the biggest success in my career here. So if I'm fit, healthy, motivated, I don't see a reason why I wouldn't come, but there's always a chance [it is the last time]."
