MELBOURNE. – Novak Djokovic swapped one court for another on Tuesday, hitting a few practice shots at Melbourne Park as he warms up for his bid to win a record 21st tennis major at next week’s Australian Open.
A week after he arrived in Australia, Djokovic finally reached center, court thanks to Monday’s court ruling quashing the federal government’s earlier decision to cancel his visa.
However, the world number one still faces the threat of being detained by the federal government for a second time and deported. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke’s office said he was still considering whether to use his discretionary power to cancel Djokovic’s visa.
“In line with due process, Minister Hawke will thoroughly consider the matter,” a spokesman said in an email. “As the issue is ongoing, for legal reasons it is inappropriate to comment further.”
Australia has a policy barring non-citizens or non-residents from entry unless they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It allows for medical exemptions, but the government argued that unvaccinated Djokovic did not provide adequate justification for an exemption.
The court ruled Djokovic was treated unfairly by border force officials on his arrival and ordered his visa cancellation be overturned. It did not, however, address whether his exemption – based on Djokovic contracting COVID-19 last month – was valid.
Djokovic’s plight drew international attention, creating a political spat between Canberra and Belgrade and fueling heated debates over mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s office said he spoke with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on Monday and “explained our non-discriminatory border policy.” Serbian media reports said Brnabic emphasized the importance of Djokovic being able to prepare for the tournament. Both said they agreed to stay in contact on the issue.
Djokovic, who expressed his gratitude to the judge and his determination to compete at the first major of the year in a Twitter post late on Monday, did not publicly address the situation on Tuesday.
He was filmed by local media helicopters practicing at Rod Laver Arena, amid unusually tight security at Melbourne Park.
John Alexander, a member of Morrison’s Liberal Party and a former professional tennis player, said a fresh decision to deport Djokovic would “diminish” the status of the Australian Open.