Former world number one Novak Djokovic has confessed that he still feels “trauma.” After thinking about his deportation from Down Under in 2022. Due to his unwillingness to declare his COVID-19 vaccination status three years ago. The Australian Open, the season’s first Grand Slam, begins next week. Djokovic missed the 2022 Grand Slam in Melbourne because he was not vaccinated against the illness.
The Australian authorities cancelled his visa for “health and good order” reasons. He spent five days in an immigration hotel, unsuccessfully appealing the decision, before being deported and missing the hard-court competition. A judge later confirmed Djokovic’s visa and ordered his release. Stating that he was not given enough time to meet with his lawyers. Australia’s immigration minister then revoked the visa again, citing “public interest.”
A three-judge panel refused Novak Djokovic’s appeal against that decision, and he was deported. As a revoked visa holder, he faced a potential three-year ban from the country. Still, Australia’s government changed, its pandemic border laws changed. A new immigration minister granted Djokovic a visa in 2023 when he went on to win the championship. Djokovic’s performance last year was terrible by his standards, as he went without a Slam in seven years.
Novak’s Deportation Memories
To improve his performance, he just acquired former player Andy Murray to his coaching staff, who will accompany him at the upcoming Grand Slam event. If Djokovic fails to advance to the semifinals, he fears falling out of the top ten rankings for the first time since 2019. As a 10-time Australian Open champion, he faces great opposition from emerging players Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who are regarded as his main competitors in the tournament.
Djokovic told Melbourne’s Herald Sun, “The last couple of times I landed in Australia, to go through passport control and immigration – I had a bit of trauma from three years ago. And some traces still stay there when I’m passing passport control, just checking out if someone from the immigration zone is approaching.”
