Tennis player Novak Djokovic. /
The Serbian will have to leave the country and will not be able to play the Open, of which he was the current champion
End of story. Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic will not be able to play the Australian Open. The judges have to decide on the horn, who have held an emergency hearing this morning. Finally, they have not accepted the appeal presented by the athlete’s lawyers and he will have to leave the country. The magistrates thus support the decision of the Australian Government, which withdrew the visa for the second time Friday for traveling to the country without complying with the covid requirements and lying to Immigration.
Shortly after the judges made their sentence public, the champion gave his first statements. “I am tremendously disappointed with the Court” in “dismissing my request,” said the tennis player in a statement collected by the Australian newspaper ‘The Age’. “I respect the Court’s ruling and will cooperate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country,” he added.
Novak Djokovic: “I am deeply disappointed with the ruling, but I will cooperate”
Djokovic case | Expelled from Australia
Novak Djokovic: “I am deeply disappointed with the ruling, but I will cooperate”
JULIA FERNANDEZ
Since Monday this case has been going on that has also raised blisters between the governments of the Australian country and the Serbian country, which considers that what Djokovic suffers is a real persecution. Meanwhile, the young man was detained in a hotel for immigrants to which he returned yesterday after the Immigration Minister denied him the entry visa for the second time, but did not decide to expel him immediately. In this establishment he has already spent five days locked up, although now he has been able to attend meetings with his lawyers to prepare the process.
Antivacunas
Today has been one of the most important days of Djokovic’s career, whose deportation has squandered his chances of adding a Grand Slam more precisely in the tournament in which he has won the most awards. This time the number one in the world has not faced a problem of paperwork or poorly filled out documentation.
The Australian government, and more specifically the immigration minister Alex Hawke, reproached Djokovic that, if he was allowed to enter, there was a possibility that the anti-vaccine movement would receive a boost in the country. Australia feared that letting in an unvaccinated person, which has strongly opposed its use since the start of the pandemic, would make people more reluctant to get the third dose.
Djokovic’s preliminary defense has been clear and in addition to labeling as “irrational” the authorities’ reasons for withdrawing his visa for the second time, he has 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, Rafa 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.
Impact on the tournament
A group of three judges has issued a sentence, which, in principle, was good news for the tennis player, since this limited the options of the Australian authorities when appealing. The trial took place just 24 hours before the start of the tournament, in which Djokovic was going to make his debut against his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic.
The decision will have a major impact on the tournament itself. With Djokovic’s dismissal, the seeding system will be reset and Andrey Rublev, fifth, will take his place. In addition to risking his future in this year’s edition, Djokovic has put on the table the possibility of never returning to Melbourne, since a deportation implies a three-year sanction, although this is appealable. Djokovic was playing one of the most important games of his life this morning and he lost it.
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