no immediate expulsion, the Serb returned to detention on Saturday morning

The “Djokovic v. Australian government” imbroglio is far from resolved. This Friday afternoon (8 am in France), the Minister of Immigration Alex Hawke, using his discretionary power in the matter, has Canceled Djokovic’s visa once again «on health and public order bases“. Rejected for the first time on his arrival in Melbourne on January 5 and placed in a detention center, “Nole” and his lawyers had nevertheless obtained from Judge Kelly, on January 10, that he restore his visa and order his immediate release.

Most three days before the start of the Australian Open, the press release from the Minister of Immigration revived the Djokovic imbroglio. Judge Kelly was then seized, a second time, by Djokovic’s lawyers in order to block the cancellation of the player’s visa. A hearing of the Federal Circuit Court was therefore organized as a matter of urgency. at 8:15 p.m. (10:15 a.m. in France) with the lawyers of Novak Djokovic and the lawyer for the Australian Minister of Immigration. At the end of this hearing, Judge Kelly decided to return of the Serbian in detention on Saturday morning, after he went to the offices of the Ministry of Immigration. Djokovic will not, however not deported from Australia before justice is finally pronounced. Djokovic will know on Sunday, during the final hearing, if he can participate in the tournament or if he is expelled from Australian territory.
Finally, the case was delegated by Judge Kelly to the Australian Federal Court, the highest court in the country. This news should not please Djokovic, since three days before the top table matches of the Australian Open (Monday, January 17), the case could experience a further slowdown.