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Novak Djokovic has launched a staunch defence of his visa application before last year's Australian Open, insisting he did everything right and "just followed all the rules" before his dramatic deportation from the country.

But as he approaches his return to Melbourne Park, Djokovic has admitted a touch of uncertainty over not just his current fitness but also the prospect of the reception he will receive from the crowds on his return.

In an interview with Channel Nine's Todd Woodbridge, Djokovic reignited questions about his treatment in the deportation saga before the 2022 event, saying: "Two or three more people that came into Australia 10 days before I did with exactly the same exemption that I had.

"I was just following the rules. My exemption was verified by an independent body and panel of doctors."

Craig Tiley came under fire as CEO of Tennis Australia and tournament director, being grilled about his handling of the Djokovic situation amid accusations the nine-time champ had been misinformed about the criteria he needed to fulfil to enter the country as an unvaccinated visitor.

"I came in with all the valid papers. Everything got out of hand and then I was labelled this or that," said Djokovic.

"All of a sudden, I became the villain of the world which was obviously a terrible position to be in as an athlete and someone who is looking to thrive in his own direction of life and profession."

Djokovic, who won his 92nd tournament at the Adelaide International, reiterated the reception he'd received in South Australia had been fantastic but added: "I don't know [about Melbourne], but I hope positive. I really hope the crowd will be receiving me well.

"That's something that I can't predict, I don't know. It's in their hands I guess.

"I'll try and do my best to perform well, to have the relationship and behave as I always have and try to be a good ambassador of the sport, and hopefully that can be recognised in a good way."

Meanwhile, the 35-year-old has suffered another scare with the hamstring injury that first flared up in Adelaide and resurfaced after the nine-time champion required treatment throughout Wednesday's exhibition practice match against Daniil Medvedev at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena.

Djokovic called it a day after Medvedev claimed the first set 6-4 in 36 minutes, but made it sound as if it was merely precautionary.

"It's a hamstring that I had problems with in Adelaide actually last week," Djokovic said.

"I just felt it a bit, pulling, and I didn't want to risk anything worse. So I played a set and then apologised to him (Medvedev), he was understanding, and so I just want to avoid any kind of bigger scares before Australian Open."

© AAP 2023

The Duke of Sussex has denied boasting about killing 25 Taliban while serving as a soldier and claimed members of his family are in an active campaign to "undermine" his book.

Harry appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night in the United States and shared jokes about feeling like he was in "group therapy", the empty seat next to him being "the spare" and his "todger".

There were also some more serious moments, in which he said he believed he had seen his mother Diana, Princess of Wales a "handful of times" after her death and claimed the British press were "abusing" his wife before they left the United Kingdom.

The duke said writing his book, Spare, was the "most vulnerable I have ever been in my life" before adding "I've never felt stronger".

Harry said he most remembers his late grandmother the Queen for her "sharp wit" and sense of humour and that he was "grateful" his grandparents did not have to go through the "global suffering that everybody's experienced over the last three years".

Harry sat down for the interview to a standing ovation from the audience, as he joked the two chairs in front of him were "the chair and the spare".

The duke quickly used the prime-time CBS show to criticise the British press for leaks of his book.

"They intentionally chose to strip away all the context and take out individual segments of my life, my story and every experience I've had, and turned it into a salacious headline," he said.

Protests were sparked by Spare, which on Tuesday became the UK's fastest-selling non-fiction book, due to Harry writing he had engaged in "the taking of human lives" while serving as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan.

"So, my number is 25. It's not a number that fills me with satisfaction, but nor does it embarrass me," he wrote.

Harry, 38, told Colbert it had been "hurtful and challenging" watching the reactions following the book's publication.

"Without a doubt, the most dangerous lie that they have told is that I somehow boasted about the number of people that I killed in Afghanistan," he said.

Harry said he was driven to discuss his kills by the goal of reducing veteran suicides.

"I made a choice to share it because having spent nearly two decades working with veterans all around the world, I think the most important thing is to be honest and to give space to others to be able to share their experiences without any shame," he told Colbert.

"And my whole goal, my attempt with sharing that detail, is to reduce the number of suicides."

Colbert asked the duke if he believed there was an "active campaign by the rest of your family, by the royal house ... to undermine this book".

"Of course, mainly by the British press," Harry said.

Asked again if it was "aided and abetted by the palace", Harry replied, "yes, again, of course - this is the other side of the story".

In another part of the interview, the duke said he believed press and public fascination with him and his wife was a way to make Meghan Markle leave the UK and to "break her".

Toward the end of the interview, Harry was questioned about his trip to the North Pole where his penis was frost-nipped.

"Can I have a drink?" Harry said, before asking "how long have you been waiting to ask that question".

"We've taken quite a leap from grief and trauma to my todger," he said.

Harry then appeared to use an expletive bleeped out by the show when describing a piece of equipment he did not have on his expedition to the North Pole.

The Late Show interview caps off Harry's press run for his headline-grabbing autobiography, which has sold 400,000 hardback, e-book and audio format copies.

© RAW 2023

Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans and dark comedy The Banshees of Inisherin have landed the top movie awards at the Golden Globes as Hollywood returned to a show that had been knocked off television by scandal.

Cate Blanchett won best actress for Tar, becoming Australia's sole trophy winner at the 80th annual awards show on its return to TV after a diversity and ethics scandal.

The actress was unable to accept the award in person because she is filming in the United Kingdom.

The Fabelmans, a coming-of-age story based on Spielberg's teen years, was named best movie drama while Banshees of Inisherin, the story of feuding friends on an Irish island, won best movie musical or comedy.

The awards are likely to give both movies a boost on the road to the Academy Awards in March.

Blanchett's win on Tuesday followed losses for fellow Aussies Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie, Baz Luhrmann and Elizabeth Debicki.

Luhrmann was up for best director for Elvis but lost to Spielberg for The Fabelmans, which along with Elvis was vying with sci-fi blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Water for the evening's top honour.

However, Elvis claimed a best actor win for star Austin Butler.

"I'm in this room with all my heroes. I can't believe I'm here," Butler said while accepting the award.

The flashy Elvis biopic and sci-fi blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Water were vying for best drama film against The Fabelmans, Tar and Top Gun: Maverick.

Veteran actor Michelle Yeoh also took a top movie award for Everything Everywhere All at Once, beating Robbie for her role in Babylon.

"Hollywood was a dream come true until I came here," the actor, of Malaysian descent, said, noting that she was called a "minority" and asked if she could speak English early in her career.

Colin Farrell, who won lead actor in a movie musical or comedy for his work in the dark Irish comedy Banshees of Inisherin, thanked his fellow cast members, including Jenny the Donkey.

In TV categories, Julia Garner won best supporting actress in a TV series for Ozark, beating Debicki for her portrayal of Princess Diana in the fifth season of The Crown.

Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson won best actress in a TV musical or comedy, House of the Dragon earned the best drama prize and The White Lotus won best limited series.

Celebrities and broadcaster NBC abandoned the 2022 Globes because of ethical lapses at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the group that hands out the awards.

A larger, more diverse membership and other changes by the HFPA persuaded many of the biggest movie and TV stars to support this year's ceremony.

The show unfolded largely as it had in years past, except for a biting monologue from comedian and host Jerrod Carmichael who opened the show joking, "I'm here because I'm black".

"One day you're making mint tea at home. The next day you're invited to be the Black face of an embattled white organisation," he said.

Roughly 200 journalists and others from the international film industry voted in this year's Globes, almost 52 per cent of them racially and ethnically diverse, including 10 per cent who are Black, the HFPA said.

Luhrmann told Reuters on the event's silver carpet he felt the HFPA had made significant changes and "really walked the walk".

"And we need them," he said, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered theatres and led to a decline in moviegoing.

"Us coming together is sending a signal out that it's OK to come together for movies. That's a good thing."

Comedian Eddie Murphy accepted a lifetime achievement honour and shared his blueprint for success.

"Pay your taxes, mind your business and keep Will Smith's wife's name out of your f***ing mouth," Murphy joked, referring to the actor's infamous slap of presenter Chris Rock at last year's Oscars.

© RAW 2023