Novak Djokovic Gets Another Three Days At Least in Melbourne: Report
Novak Djokovic has had his visa cancelled after arriving in Australia late on Wednesday.
advertisement
Defending champion Novak Djokovic must spend at least another 72 hours in a Melbourne hotel as he tries to get the ban on entering Australia overturned.
Djokovic, who arrived in Australia after claiming to have been given a vaccine exemption for the Australian Open, had his visa cancelled on arrival by the Australian Border Force.
In a hearing on Thursday, Djokovic’s team and authorities from the Minister for Immigration’s office reached an agreement that there would be no move to deport the 20-time Grand Slam winner before Monday’s Federal Court hearing, Reuters reported.
After a hearing earlier in the day was adjourned, the matter reopened in the early evening to consider procedural matters.
Earlier, Judge Anthony Kelly had asked lawyers when the Australian Open was to begin and when the nine-time Australian Open champion was scheduled to play his first match. The judge also said that Djokovic could give evidence remotely from immigration detention but that Tennis Australia preferences of wrapping up the matter by Tuesday would not affect the hearing.
"If I can say with the respect necessary, the tail won't be wagging the dog here," he said.
The Serbian tennis player is being represented by Nick Wood, who noted that solving the visa issue was critical. "As I sit here, the absence of a visa, if the cancellation decision is valid, is an insuperable obstacle to Mr Djokovic competing in the tournament," Wood said.
Djokovic, who is aiming for his 10th Australian Open title, has not made public his vaccination status. Last year, Djokovic had quarantined in a luxury hotel in Adelaide and was able to train at the famous Memorial Drive tennis club during his stint in isolation before going on to win the Australian Open.
The current hotel where he is located however is a far cry from that and is home to detainees who have been held for differing periods of time.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)