Novak Djokovic will likely be deported from Australia after his visa was rejected by officials amid a mix-up with his application.
The world No. 1 tennis star, who was detained at Melbourne‘s Tullamarine airport overnight, has been denied entry into Australia after initially saying he had been granted a medical exemption from the country’s Covid-19vaccination requirements so that he could play in the Australian Open.
The 34-year-old was issued a letter by the Australian government saying his visa had been denied and he would be deported, a source close to the tournament said tonight.
Djokovic has now been moved to a hotel in Carlton in Melbourne’s inner-city under police guard as authorities arrange a deportation flight.
His lawyers launched a case at Melbourne’s Federal Court during Thursday afternoon local time (the early hours of Thursday in the UK). It was adjourned until 6pm local time (7am GMT) but is likely to proceed today.
The ABC reported one of the issues discussed is whether Djokovic has access to a tennis court while in detention, raising questions about how long he might be willing to wait for the case to be resolved.
The Serb flew in on an Emirates flight from Dubai, and a return flight with the airline departs Melbourne at 10.30pm local time (11.30am GMT).
Australia’s Health Minister Greg Hunt earlier confirmed that Djokovic’s visa had been cancelled, and Border Force issued a statement to that effect.
‘The Australian Border Force will continue to ensure that those who arrive at our border comply with our laws and entry requirements,’ a statement read.