Novak Djokovic Leaves Australia Open After Losing Court Appeal

Keneci Channel

In a statement the 34-year-old tennis champion said he was "extremely disappointed" with the outcome.

Federal Court upheld a decision made on Friday by the immigration minister Alex Hawke to cancel the Serb’s visa on public interest grounds.

The visa was canceled on the grounds that Djokovic’s presence in Australia may be a risk to the health and "good order" of the Australian public and "may be counterproductive to efforts at vaccination by others in Australia." In other words, the tennis star was 'canceled' because his stance against mandatory vaccination may cause backlash in Australia where citizens have been subjected to all sorts of authoritarian coronavirus pandemic measures.

"I am extremely disappointed with the Court ruling to dismiss my application for judicial review of the Minister’s decision to cancel my visa, which means I cannot stay in Australia and participate in the Australian Open," Djokovic said in the statement. "I respect the Court’s ruling and I will cooperate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country. I am uncomfortable that the focus of the past weeks has been on me and I hope that we can all now focus on the game and tournament I love. I would like to wish the players, tournament officials, staff, volunteers and fans all the best for the tournament."

The Serb was accompanied by two government officials on his way to Melbourne airport before departing for Dubai.

The Association of Tennis Professionals ATP, said in a statement: "Today's decision to uphold Novak Djokovic’s Australian visa cancellation marks the end of a deeply regrettable series of events. Ultimately, decisions of legal authorities regarding matters of public health must be respected. More time is required to take stock of the facts and to take the learnings from this situation."

The Serbian tennis association expressed "huge disappointment" and said the decision to expel Djokovic was "political."

The tennis champ's family in Belgrade also issued a statement Sunday: "We will be here to share the blows he received, to help him regain his energy, his faith in this sport, above all in fair play, which was completely absent."

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who accused Australian authorities of "harassing" Djokovic, called the court ruling "a farce," and revealed that he spoke to the tennis star on Sunday.

"We can't wait to see him in Serbia, to return to his country, to come where he is always welcome," Vucic said. "They think they humiliated Djokovic with this, the best player in the world, by the 10-day harassment, they humiliated themselves and Djokovic can return to his country with his head high up and look everyone in the eye."

Populist politicians in Serbia also condemned the Australian government decision.

Djokovic’s visa was initially canceled on Jan. 6 at Melbourne’s airport hours after he arrived to compete in the first Grand Slam of 2022. The visa was later reinstated on procedural grounds before Hawke canceled the visa for a second time.