Novak Djokovic back in immigration detention ahead of his visa showdown – as big rival Rafael Nadal
Novak Djokovic has been seen returning to immigration detention after his visa was again cancelled, as top players took swipes at the unvaccinated champion.
Djokovic was spotted being driven inside the Park Hotel compound at Carlton in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon, where he must remain until his Federal Court appeal is heard on Monday morning.
On Saturday he spoke with immigration officials at an undisclosed location at 8am. Border authorities then detained Djokovic following a court-ordered arrangement.
Djokovic’s lawyers then made their submissions during the online Federal Court hearing presided by Judge David O’Callaghan at his solicitors’ offices at 10.15am.
Djokovic was driven inside the Park Hotel compound at Carlton in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon, where he must remain until his Federal Court appeal is heard on Monday morning (pictured, Djokovic in the back seat of a car returning to an official detention centre on Saturday)
Media and protesters gathered outside the notorious detention centre hotel where the unvaccinated Serbian tennis star is housed (pictured, a car returning Novak Djokovic returns to the Park Hotel in Melbourne)
Pro-refugee protesters assembled out the Carlton hotel that Djokovic was taken back to on Saturday. The hotel is notorious with asylum seeker advocates (pictured, protesters and media outside the Park Hotel in Melbourne)
His crack legal team is expected to have a tougher time overturning the latest visa ban than they did on January 10, when an Australian Border Force official had him detained the first time.
The Serbian superstar remains the focus of world attention and a magnet for fiery debates about health, science, politics and immigration.
Anti-vax supporters and anti-immigration detention protesters assembled at Rod Laver Arena and outside the notorious detention centre where some asylum seekers have been housed for years.
At the tennis stadium 200 anti-vaccine protesters chanted ‘free Novak’ and ‘let him play’ as well as various slogans opposed to vaccines and mask mandates.
Young US Open champion, Emma Raducanu said the scandal had become a distraction
Novak’s big rival Rafa Nadal said no-one is bigger than the Australian Open
Djokovic was seen arriving in the back of a white sedan as he re-entered the detention centre compound wearing a green tracksuit and white facemask.
As the Australian Open top seed went back into detention, the rival racing to claim a record 21 Grand Slam titles, Spaniard Rafael Nadal, admitted his annoyance at the focus on the Serb superstar.
‘Honestly I’m a little bit tired of the situation because I just believe that it’s important to talk about our sport, about tennis,’ Nadal said.
‘There is no one player in history that is more important than an event, no? [It] will be a great Australian Open with or without him.’
Novak Djokovic (pictured with his wife) is gunning for his 21st Grand Slam title, which would see him surpass fellow legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
Tsitsipas, who was beaten by Djokovic in the French Open final last year (pictured), said the Serbian world No 1 was ‘playing by his own rules’
The number four player in the men’s draw, Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas blasted Djokovic for making his vaccinated fellow players ‘look like fools.’
‘The stats say 98 per cent of players have been vaccinated and did what they had to do in order to come and perform and play in Australia,’ Tsitsipas told Indian network WIO News.
‘A very small group chose to follow their own way and it kind of makes the majority look like they’re all fools or something.’
Meanwhile brilliant young US Open champion, Emma Raducanu spoke out on Saturday saying the scandal was a distraction.
‘I feel it has taken away a little bit from the great tennis that’s been happening over this summer in Australia… like in that way it has been a distraction.’
She believed people were missing the performances of other stars worthy of attenton, such as returning Brit Andy Murray.
The key reasons behind Djokovic’s visa cancellation were revealed on Saturday with Minister Alex Hawke saying his presence in Australia may ‘foster anti-vaccination sentiment’.
Mr Hawke announced on Friday he had cancelled the Serbian tennis star’s visa for a second time, citing a long list of reasons including that Djokovic showed an ‘apparent disregard’ to isolate following a positive test result.
The key reasons behind Novak Djokovic ‘s visa cancellation have been revealed with Immigration Minister Alex Hawke saying his presence in Australia may ‘foster anti-vaccination sentiment’
Court documents show the reasons for Mr Hawke’s cancellation of Djokovic’s visa
Djokovic also posed a ‘risk to the good order of the Australian community’, Mr Hawke said, in that his stay in Australia may create ‘public disruption’ to values of the Australian society
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke (pictured) cancelled Djokovic’s visa for a second time. The Serbian star is fighting his deportation
‘I consider that Mr Djokovic’s ongoing presence in Australia may lead to an increase in anti-vaccination sentiment generated in the Australian community, potentially leading to an increase in civil unrest of the kind previously experienced in Australia with rallies and protests which may themselves be a source of community transmission,’ Mr Hawke said as seen in court documents.
The drama around the Novak Djokovic affair is set to be captured in a docuseries that will be a tennis version of Drive To Survive.
Sportsmail understands that a crew is already in Australia filming what has been the most explosive start to a tennis season in recent years, thanks to the fiasco surrounding the world No 1.
The sport’s usually disjointed governing stakeholders have united to support and approve the new project, that will eventually air on Netflix.
