Status: 01/16/2022 10:18 a.m
The tennis star failed just before the start of the Australian Open: A review of the events:
Would meet a compatriot in the first round of the Australian Open: Novak Djokovic.
Image: Dean Lewins/AAP/dpa
10th of December: The deadline for applying for an exemption to participate in the Australian Open is ending – for players who have not been vaccinated against the corona virus. Only fully vaccinated people are allowed to start.
December 16: The unvaccinated Djokovic attends a Serbian Post event in his home country. In the evening he finds out about his infection. The positive PCR result is in documents that his lawyers later submit to the Australian authorities. According to the rules in Serbia, Covid positives who do not have severe symptoms must be isolated at home for 14 days.
December 17: Djokovic, who actually lives in Monaco, is a guest at an awards ceremony for young tennis players in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, without a mask or distance. He didn’t know about his corona infection then, says Djokovic in a statement on January 12.
December 18: He has an interview with photo shoot for the French sports newspaper “L’Équipe”. In retrospect, this was a “misjudgment”, says Djokovic on January 12. Djokovic said he didn’t want to let the journalist down, always kept his distance and wore a mask except for the photo shoot.
December 22: Djokovic did another test. Result according to own statements: negative.
30th of December: According to his lawyers, Djokovic will receive an exemption for the Australian Open from the head of medicine at the Australian Tennis Association.
New Year 2021/2022: Social media footage shows Djokovic at a tennis club in Marbella, Spain.
January 5th: Djokovic travels to Australia. Because he does not present the necessary documents for a special permit from the point of view of the authorities, he is refused entry. He comes to a deportation hotel.
6th January: At a remarkable press conference in Belgrade, Djokovic’s father compares his son to Jesus Christ: “Jesus was crucified, everything was done to him and he endured and he still lives among us,” said Srdjan Djokovic. “Now they try to crucify Novak in the same way and do everything to him.”
10. January: A court in Melbourne upholds Djokovic’s appeal and allows him to enter the country. He can move freely. A few hours later he is on the training ground.
11th January: It is revealed that Djokovic stated in his immigration form that he had not traveled in the 14 days before flying to Australia.
January 12: Under pressure from the Australian authorities, Novak Djokovic admits “errors” in his entry details and behavior after an alleged corona infection. He admits to having inadvertently given false information about his travel activities on his immigration form before flying to Melbourne. His management is responsible for this “human and certainly not intentional” error, which sincerely apologizes.
13th January: Despite the unclear situation about his visa at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic is part of the draw and is scheduled to play his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round. It is still unclear whether the Serb can really compete. Australia’s Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has yet to decide whether Djokovic’s visa will be withdrawn again.
January 14: Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used his personal right to again invalidate Djokovic’s visa. The Serb’s lawyers lodge an objection. A federal court is due to decide on Sunday.
January 16: The federal court in Australia rejects Djokovic’s appeal against his denied entry and visa annulment.