Izuchukwu Okosi
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World number 1 Novak Djokovic will not be part of this year’s Australian Open starting on Monday after failing in his last-ditch appeal against the re-cancellation of his visa before the Federal Court of Australia.
The 34-year-old reigning champion had his visa cancelled for a second time on Friday, despite initially winning an appeal over his deportation just days earlier.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke admitted that the decision was made on ‘health and public order grounds’ at the time and claimed the Serb’s presence in the country had the potential to stoke anti-vax sentiment and discourage people from getting boosters.
The world No.1 returned to the immigration detention centre – where he had been previously held – in Melbourne on Saturday night (early Sunday morning in Nigeria) ahead of the all-important hearing which began the following morning at 9:30 local time.
Djokovic had been due to begin his defence of this year’s tournament against fellow countryman Miomir Kecmanovic – ranked 78 in the world – at Melbourne Park tomorrow (Monday).
Australian Border Force had first revoked Djokovic’s visa upon his arrival Down Under on January 6, insisting the tennis superstar had ‘failed to provide appropriate evidence’ to receive a vaccine exemption.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion then spent four nights in the detention hotel before a judge ruled that the correct procedure had not been followed – and his visa was reinstated.
Djokovic, who is unvaccinated, admitted an ‘error of judgement’ by attending an interview and photoshoot with French publication L’Equipe after testing positive for coronavirus back on December 16. He also put the false declaration on his travel form down to ‘human error’.
