It was perhaps one of the strongest moments of the season which was played out on Wednesday night, without a single ball being traded.
Having left Europe on Tuesday with the assurance of having an exemption to be able to enter Australia to play the Open there, Novak Djokovic, whose vaccination status is still unknown, was finally refused entry to the country on his arrival in Melbourne.
He is now waiting, in a hotel where he is in quarantine, for the response to his appeal, but he obtained a stay until the next hearing on Monday.
Back on a hallucinating day for the world number one.
Wednesday, 8 p.m. in Melbourne: Djokovic is on the plane, the Prime Minister sets fire to the powders
At that time, everything was going well or almost for Novak Djokovic. Leaving Europe on Tuesday with the agreement of Craig Tiley, the boss of the Australian Open, on an exemption from a vaccination pass, the Serbian is confident for his entry into Australian territory. "I'm going to Australia with an exemption
(Editor's note: vaccination)
.
Let's go for 2022!
»Posts the champion on Instagram.
After a stopover in Dubai, he was on the plane to Melbourne when the Australian Prime Minister, under pressure from public opinion shocked by the affair, launched hostilities.
"We are awaiting his presentation and for him to provide us with evidence to support this waiver," Scott Morrison said at a press conference that followed.
If this evidence is insufficient, then he will not be treated any differently from anyone else, and he will return home on the first plane.
There will be no special rule for Novak Djokovic.
Not the least.
"
11:30 p.m. in Melbourne: bad visa and welcome committee at the airport
The least that can be said is that Novak Djokovic was expected at Tullamarine airport in Melbourne, upon disembarking his flight from Dubai.
The very serious local daily TheAge explains that the Federal Border Force, the border police in the state of Victoria, indeed noticed before the landing that the man with the 20 Grand Slams had submitted the wrong type of visa for be allowed to enter the state.
The visa presented by the nine-time winner of the first Grand Slam of the season does not allow medical exemptions for non-vaccination.
The Serb is then placed in solitary confinement in an airport room where he will have to plead his case to obtain the exemption.
All night long: isolation, interrogation by border police
It is arguably the longest night.
Alone in a detention room at Melbourne airport, Novak Djokovic is questioned by the border police and must justify his exemption from the vaccine.
Some rumors suggest that he would have been deprived of his phone during these eight long hours of interrogation, which a statement from the Border Force denies.
Questioned by a Serbian media, the father of Novak Djokovic assures that his son is "in captivity, alone, in a room protected by an armed guard".
“I have no idea what's going on,” he continues.
According to certain sources relayed by TheAge, Djokovic would have pleaded the card of a recent infection with Covid to evade the vaccine obligation.
Except that this case does not come under the possible exemptions.
Thursday, 8:51 am: Australia cancels Djokovic's visa
It's the early morning twist in Melbourne.
After a night of explaining himself to the border police, Novak Djokovic will not have convinced.
Australia canceled Novak Djokovic's visa on Thursday, saying he had arrived at Melbourne airport without the necessary documents to enter the country, Australian customs said.
“Mr. Djokovic did not provide the appropriate information to enter Australia and his visa was therefore canceled.
Foreign nationals who do not have a valid visa or whose visa has been canceled will be detained and deported from Australia, ”Customs said.
Clearly, Djokovic will be sent back to Europe by the next available flight.
8:57 am: Serbia attacks Australia
If it was not already, the affair becomes political, even diplomatic.
The fate reserved for "Djoko" has gone badly on the side of Serbia.
Its president Aleksandar Vucic, claiming to have spoken to the world number one on the phone, wrote on Instagram that "all of Serbia was with him
(Djokovic)
" and that "the authorities were taking all necessary measures to ensure that the mistreatment of the best player in world tennis ceases as soon as possible ”.
A few minutes later, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morisson confirms the news: “Novak Djokovic's visa has been canceled.
Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders.
No one is above the rules, ”he explains on Twitter.
Mr Djokovic's visa has been canceled.
Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders.
No one is above these rules.
Our strong border policies have been critical to Australia having one of the lowest death rates in the world from COVID, we are continuing to be vigilant.
- Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 5, 2022
10 a.m .: Djokovic transferred to a hotel for refugees
It is around 10 am, after a whole night spent at the airport, that Novak Djokovic can finally go to rest.
He and his staff were sent to the quarantine hotel reserved for refugees seeking asylum in Melbourne: the "Park hotel", nicknamed "Park hotel prison" in the Carlton district (nothing to do with the hotel chain luxury) in Melbourne.
4 p.m .: he files a legal appeal against his deportation
While local media are speculating on the plane that Novak Djokovic will take to Europe, the Serbian is not giving up and is challenging in court the decision of the Australian authorities to cancel his visa and to deport him from the country.
According to a judicial source, a Melbourne magistrate, Anthony Kelly, was due to examine the Serbian's request on Thursday.
6.30 p.m. in Melbourne: a reprieve
Last turn of events.
Almost 20 hours after arriving on Australian soil, the world number one learns that he will not be deported from Australia before Monday, as announced by a government lawyer, Christopher Tran.
He said during a hearing Thursday before a judge that the government did not plan to expel the player before a new hearing scheduled for Monday.
Meanwhile, while Novak Djokovic has to rest, a Serbian supporter carrying his country's flag walks 100 steps in front of the Park Hotel in Melbourne.
"Thank you Australia for keeping him like a refugee, like a criminal" he enraged, in remarks reported by TheAge.
