Australian Open: Novak Djokovic still ‘shocked’ over Melbourne Covid exile

Novak Djokovic says he still feels “traumatised” when he visits Melbourne, three years after being deported due to Australia’s Covid-19 rules.

Djokovic, who has not been vaccinated against the virus, had his visa canceled by the Australian government on “health and good order” grounds.

He was forced to stay in an immigration hotel for five days while he unsuccessfully appealed the decision and was ultimately forced to leave the country, meaning he missed the 2022 Australian Open.

Djokovic returned to Melbourne the following year with the easing of Covid restrictions and won the Grand Slam for a record 10th time.

The 37-year-old Serbian player is back in Australia to prepare for the 2025 tournament, which starts on Sunday.

“The last few times I’ve landed in Australia to go through passport control and immigration – three years ago I’ve had a bit of a shock,” Djokovic told Melbourne’s Herald Sun., external

“And some marks still remain there when I am going through passport control, just to check if anyone is coming from the immigration area.

“The person who’s checking my passport – are they going to take me away, detain me again or let me go? I have to admit that’s how I feel.”

he adds: “I have no complaints. I came right back the next year and won.

“My parents and the whole team were there and it was really one of the most emotional wins I’ve ever had, considering everything I went through last year.”

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen said she preferred to focus on this year’s tournament.

“The responsibility for granting visas is a matter for the federal government and these decisions were made by the federal government at the time,” said Allen, who was part of the government crisis cabinet leading Australia’s response to Covid in 2022 – but not Djokovic. Involved in the case.

“COVID was hard on all of us. It didn’t matter who you were, where you came from, COVID didn’t discriminate in who it infected, how sick it made you and how much it hurt others in our community. Made you sick.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticized the previous government’s handling of the situation, particularly the decision to deny Djokovic access to an Orthodox priest in the run-up to Christmas, which is celebrated by most Orthodox Christians on January 7. Is.

“I made comments about it at the time. I found it surprising that before Christmas, Novak Djokovic was denied by the then federal government the opportunity to see his Orthodox minister, the priest, during that period,” Albanese said. Said, who becomes Prime Minister in May 2022.

“I think at the time that was something that was hard to justify.”

Djokovic is hoping to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title when he competes at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park next week.