Tennis player Novak Djokovic. /
The Serbian, already arrested, faces a trial that could put his dominance in check
Novak Djokovic has returned to the starting square. Early this Saturday, the Australian police escorted him to the Park Hotel in Melbourne, where he will remain in custody until the trial this Sunday in which his future in the country will be defined. The Serb returns to the hotel where he spent five days locked up, although now he will have the advantage of being able to attend meetings with his lawyers to prepare for the trial and because he will also be able to be in court while the sentence is handed down.
It is one of the most important days of Djokovic’s career, who is subject to deportation from the country and a three-year ban without being able to enter, which would squander his chances of adding a Grand Slam more precisely in the tournament in which he most awards he has garnered.
This time the number one in the world does not face a paperwork problem or a poorly filled out documentation. This time the Australian government, and more specifically the immigration minister Alex Hawke, reproaches Djokovic that, if he is allowed to enter, it is possible that the anti-vaccine movement will receive a boost in the country. Australia fears that letting in an unvaccinated person, who has strongly opposed its use since the start of the pandemic, will make people more reluctant to get the third dose.
Djokovic’s preliminary defense has been clear and in addition to branding as “irrational” the reasons of the authorities to withdraw his visa for the second time, they have assured that the tournament would be damaged and “it would not be the same” if he is not allowed to participate to Djokovic. In this commotion, Rafael Nadal responded at a press conference: «It is clear that Djokovic is one of the best tennis players in history. Undoubtedly. But there is no player in history that is more important than a tournament. Players come and go. Not even Roger, Novak, Borg or me. Tennis continues. The Australian Open is much more important than just one player. If he ends up participating, perfect. If not, it will be a great tournament. With or without him. That is my opinion”, said the man from Manacor.
The trial begins this midnight
The trial will begin close to midnight in Spain and this time it will not be led by judge Anthony Kelly, who awarded Djokovic the win last Monday. A group of three judges will pass sentence, which is good news for the tennis player, since this limits the options of the Australian authorities when appealing. In addition, the trial will take place just 24 hours before the start of the tournament and, more importantly for his interests, Djokovic’s debut against his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic.
The decision, deportation or not, will have a major impact on the tournament itself. Also the time at which it is taken. If Djokovic is sent off before the order of play comes out, the seeding system will be reset and Andrey Rublev, fifth, will take his place. If Djokovic is deported after the order of play is known, a player who lost in qualifying will take his place. This would greatly alter the draw and benefit players at the top such as Nadal, Alexander Zverev or Carlos Alcaraz as they would have one less seed standing in their way.
In addition to risking his future in this year’s edition, Djokovic puts on the table the possibility of never returning to Melbourne, since a deportation would imply a three-year sanction, although this is appealable. The Serbian is played in court to be the best on the court and the record of the Grand Slams, the most prestigious in the history of tennis, depends more on what a judge says, or in this case three, than on what happens with his racket. Djokovic plays one of the most important matches of his life this Sunday and he does it dressed in a suit and not in shorts.
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