Battle beyond the courts

Djoker breaks silence: Thank you to people around the world for your continuous support. I can feel it and it is greatly appreciated: He wrote on an Instagram post from Melbourne hotel.

DJOKOVIC COURT CASE: COULD HE ARGUE HIS WAY TO AUS OPEN?

The world number one men’s tennis player will spend this weekend stewing in a hotel room in Australia, fighting the country’s attempt to deport him over his vaccination status.

Then on Monday, Novak Djokovic will get his day in court to challenge the cancellation of his visa. He wants to get into the country to play in the Australian Open and win his 10th title.

How will he argue his case and how strong are his prospects? Will he be able to make it to the Grand Slam at all, let alone on time?

WHAT’S DJOKOVIC’S SITUATION?

The Serbian player was granted a visa to enter Australia on proviso, to play in the Grand Slam.

Australia’s pandemic border rules also ban foreigners from entering the country if they are not either double vaccinated or have a medical exemption from having the jabs.

Djokovic, who has said he is opposed to vaccination, had been granted by tennis authorities an unspecifiied medical exemption to play in the tournament.

But upon arrival at Melbourne Airport, the tennis player was unable to prove his medical exemption to the government’s standards for entry.As such, officials revoked his visa on the spot. As he no longer had a legal basis to be in Australia, he was moved to a holding zone to be deported.

WHAT MIGHT DJOKOVIC ARGUE?

The player’s team immediately challenged the decision and on Thursday he was granted a temporary injunction to stave off being forcibly lown out that night.

“Djokovic’s legal team will probably seek to argue that he had been granted the visa and visa was revoked,” Priof Rockwell said. “So any revocation of the visa requires justiication, quite clearly, and there are certain legal processes that need to be followed for the visa to be revoked.”

WHAT ABOUT THE POLITICS?

Oz PM Morrison has rejected all accusations, including from Serbia’s government, that Australia unfairly targeted Djokovic.

WHAT HAPPENS IF HE WINS?

If the judge were to find in favour of the tennis player, a best-case scenario for Djokovic would be the court overturning Australia’s revocation of his visa. It’s unclear whether the Australian government would challenge the decision, attempt to cancel the visa on other grounds, or back down.

WHAT HAPPENS IF HE WINS?

If the judge were to ind in favour of the tennis player, a best-case scenario for Djokovic would be the court overturning Australia’s revocation of his visa. It’s unclear whether the Australian government would challenge the decision, attempt to cancel the visa on other grounds, or back down.

NOW, CZECH PLAYER JOINS DJOKOVIC IN AUS DETENTION

Czech tennis player Renata Voracova has ended up in the same detention facility as Novak Djokovic in the run-up to the Australian Open, the Czech foreign ministry said Friday.

The ministry said it was protesting against the detention but Voracova, the world number 81, had agreed to leave Australia and not take part in the Open “as her training options are limited”.