Novak Djokovic trained again on the Australian Open facility in Melbourne the day after his partial legal success. Meanwhile, according to local media, the Australian authorities are checking whether the information provided by the nine-time tournament winner on the entry forms was correct. Djokovic had answered the question of whether he had traveled to Australia in the 14 days before the flight with a no. This is shown by the documents published by the court.
According to the newspaper The Age and Sky News, the 34-year-old is said to have traveled from Belgrade to Spain during the period and trained there for a few days in Marbella. On Monday, a court in Melbourne overturned Djokovic’s visa cancellation by the Australian border protection authorities and released him from the depot for foreigners he had been in since his arrival.
Djokovic is not vaccinated and in a medical exemption cites his status as a convalescent after his second corona infection, which is said to have been determined on December 16. The Minister for Immigration, Alex Hawke, had announced after the decisions on Monday that he would examine whether he would withdraw Djokovic’s residence permit again with his personal decision-making power. There were no signs of a decision on Tuesday. Hawke will “examine the matter thoroughly,” said a spokesman for the minister on Tuesday. However, for legal reasons it is “inappropriate” to say more about it.
Clear words from the ATP in the Djokovic case
Meanwhile, the men’s professional tennis organization ATP criticized the ambiguity in the entry regulations to Down Under. One respects the victims of the Australian population during the corona pandemic and the country’s strict rules, according to a statement published on Tuesday (local time).
However, complications in recent days in connection with the entry of players to Australia have shown the need for more clarity and clearer communication and application of the rules. The events that led to the trial of Djokovic’s objection to his visa revoked were detrimental to everyone involved and in particular to the well-being of the world number one and his preparation for the Australian Open.
In principle, the ATP advocates vaccination against the corona virus and encourages all players to do so. Djokovic was refused entry into the country last week because the 34-year-old Serb has not been vaccinated against the coronavirus and the documentation of his medical exemption was insufficient for the authorities. That is why he was staying in a deportation hotel in Melbourne at the weekend. Because the border officials had not given him the agreed time to clarify, the decision was overturned during the hearing on Monday.
The Australian Open will be held from January 17th to 30th. Djokovic has won the tournament nine times – more often than anyone else. However, whether he can actually compete in the first Grand Slam of the year is still unclear because the Australian government has reserved further steps and has not yet made a decision.
In politics, too, the story has widespread effects. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Serbian counterpart Ana Brnabic had a phone call about the case. It was a “constructive” conversation, as the Australian news agency said on Tuesday AAP reported citing the office of the head of government. In it, Morrison explained Australia’s “non-discriminatory” border policy and its role in protecting the country during the corona pandemic.
The two agreed to stay in touch and strengthen bilateral relations. Citing the Serbian state broadcaster RTS, it was said that Brnabic had asked the Australian side to treat Djokovic with dignity. The Prime Minister emphasized in particular the importance of the training conditions for the Serbian tennis player, who had not been able to prepare for the upcoming tournament in the past few days.