The incredible imbroglio has come to an end.
This Sunday morning (French time), the Australian Federal Court decided to reject the appeal of the world number 1.
Therefore, Novak Djokovic will have to leave the country in the coming hours and will not be able to defend his title at the Australian Open.
Shortly after the announcement of the verdict, the tricolor player Alizé Cornet (62nd) came to the defense of the Serb: “I know too little to judge the situation.
But what I do know is that Novak has always been the first to defend the players.
But none of us defended it.
Be strong Novak Djokovic,” she wrote on Twitter before adding, “And people…don't call me antivax please thank you.”
And people ... don't call me Anti-vaxx, PLEASE 🙏 thank you
— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) January 16, 2022
Former Serena Williams coach Patrick Mouratoglou also tweeted: “The only big loser in this mess is the tournament.
The only good news is that we will hopefully start talking about tennis”.
Also on this social network, Australian Nick Kyrgios, who had supported Novak Djokovic at a press conference, contented himself with posting a distraught emoji, hinting at his disappointment with the final verdict.
🤦🏽♂️
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 16, 2022
Other actors of the little yellow ball also flew to the aid of the native of Belgrade, like the Canadian Vasek Pospisil, co-founder of a player's union with the world number 1: "Novak would never have gone in Australia if he had not been given an exemption to enter that country by the government.
He would have skipped the Australian Open, stayed home with his family and nobody would have made a fuss of it.
There were political issues behind it all with an election approaching (in Australia), ”he detailed on his Twitter post.
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Former world number 1, the Briton Andy Murray regrets the treatment inflicted on the Serb during the last 10 days: “It is not good for the tournament because it would be better if all the best players could participate.
There are obviously going to be a lot of questions about what happened and the situation we found ourselves in.
I've known Novak since we were 12, he's someone I respect and have played against.
I don't like that he finds himself in this situation and I don't like the fact that he has been placed in detention (…).
I hope this will not happen again for other tournaments.
I didn't wish that on Novak or tennis and I hope it's over now,” he told the
BBC
.
"Harassment on an unprecedented scale"
Outside the tennis sphere, Aleksandar Vucic, the president of Serbia also reacted strongly: “You harass him for 10-11 days in order to give him the decision that you knew you would give him on the first day. If you had said “he has not been vaccinated and is not allowed to enter the country”, he would not have come. (…) There was harassment on an unprecedented scale, media lynching and witch hunts”.
Conversely, at the highest peak of the Australian state, it is a time for celebration: “Australia's strong border protection policy has kept us safe during the pandemic.
(…) Australians have made great sacrifices to get here and the Morrison government is firmly committed to protecting this position, ”said Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke.
Read alsoFrom an Instagram post to a new detention, a look back in 8 episodes at this incredible saga
According to Me Thierry Granturco, sports law lawyer, the Djokovic clan has shown too much naivety in this case.
“We can understand or not the Australian government in the Djokovic case.
But what is incomprehensible is how he wallowed in this affair.
His advisers really made him believe that he could slip through the cracks?
Seriously?
“, he wrote on Twitter.
If this incredible story ended on the legal level, the controversy does not seem about to die out.