Djokovic awaits Australia visa decision

Though Novak Djokovic’s visa was reinstated on Monday and he was released from detention, Australia’s immigration minister could still revoke his visa again and begin deportation proceedings.

As he awaits a decision on whether he can remain in Australia, Djokovic on Thursday was drawn against fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the Australian Open.

Why Djokovic was detained: All international arrivals to Australia are required to be vaccinated — which Djokovic is not — unless they have a medical exemption. The government argued he didn’t have a valid exemption to the requirement.

Djokovic said he was under the impression he could enter because tournament organizers had granted him a medical exemption on the grounds he had been infected with Covid-19 in December, his visa had been approved ahead of arrival, and he had been cleared for quarantine-free travel.

Why the judge ruled in his favor: The government hadn’t given Djokovic enough advance notice about the cancellation of his visa or time to prepare materials in his defense, the judge said. After his arrival, Djokovic was told he would have a few hours to prepare — but the government decided to cancel his visa before the deadline they had given.

When: Djokovic tested positive in mid-December, and recovered enough to receive a medical exemption from Tennis Australia on December 30, according to court documents. He arrived in Australia on January 5, and was promptly placed in detention. He was released on Monday, January 10. The tournament runs from January 17-30.

What happens now?: Australia’s immigration minister could still revoke Djokovic’s visa again and begin deportation proceedings. But it is unclear when such a decision could come. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison batted away a question from a reporter about Novak Djokovic’s visa status at a news conference in Canberra on Thursday.

Morrison was asked why a decision hadn’t been made yet on whether the Australian government would revoke Djokovic’s reinstated visa.

“I refer to Mr. Hawke’s most recent statement and that position hasn’t changed,” he said, referring to Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, who could still decide to deport Djokovic. “These are personal ministerial powers able to be administered by Minister Hawke, and I don’t propose to make any further comment at this time.” 

Earlier on Thursday these were the headlines from Australian media organizations on the Novak Djokovic saga.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison batted away a question from a reporter about Djokovic’s visa status at a news conference in Canberra on Thursday.

Morrison was asked why a decision hadn’t been made yet on whether the Australian government would revoke Djokovic’s reinstated visa.

“I refer to Mr. Hawke’s most recent statement and that position hasn’t changed,” he said, referring to Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, who could still decide to deport Djokovic. “These are personal ministerial powers able to be administered by Minister Hawke, and I don’t propose to make any further comment at this time.” 

World number one Novak Djokovic has been “playing by his own rules” and has put his bid for a 21st Grand Slam title at risk by not following Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements, world number four Stefanos Tsitsipas said on Thursday.

“For sure, he’s been playing by his own rules and has been doing what not many players had the guts to do, especially after the ATP announced certain criteria for players to enter the country,” Greece’s Tsitsipas told India’s WION news channel.

Asked if Djokovic should defend his title at Melbourne Park next week as his visa saga continues, Tsitsipas said: “There are two ways to look at it. One side of it is that almost every single player is fully vaccinated… and have followed the protocols to play in Australia.

Read the full story here.

Novak Djokovic hit the practice court again on Thursday as uncertainty still reigns over whether the World No.1 will be able to compete at the season-opening Grand Slam of the year.

Djokovic practiced on the iconic Rod Laver Arena with Argentinian Federico Coria behind closed doors under the Melbourne sun.

Coria tweeted afterwards in Spanish: “Thank you @DjokerNole and team” with a picture of the two together on Rod Laver. The 34-year-old was surrounded by members of his coaching team with journalists, camera crews and and photographers watching on.

The nine-time Australian Open winner is poised to open his title defense against Serbian tennis player Miomir Kecmanovic as he bids to win a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam.

It’s over 15,000 kilometers from Belgrade to Melbourne. Novak Djokovic’s journey to the Australian Open has been certainly quite something.

And in Thursday’s draw for the Australian Open he discovered he will be up against fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic. It’s a small world…

Djokovic, looking to win his 10th Australian Open title in Melbourne this month, is waiting for Australia’s immigration minister Alex Hawke to decide whether to revoke his reinstated visa ahead of the tournament.

But what about the tournament’s other players?

Read the full story here.

Even by the standards of Novak Djokovic’s eventful tennis career – replete with trophies and jaw-dropping performances, but also peppered with controversy – the circumstances ahead of this year’s Australian Open have been extraordinary.

“Djokovic’s legacy is massively complicated and getting more so,” said tennis writer Ben Rothenberg.

“For all of his professionalism and his generosity (he’s great with charities and in interactions with his fans) his judgment often gets him into trouble, often straying him … toward fringe ideas, like his recent anti-vaccine commitment.

Read the full story here:

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 11: Novak Djokovic of Serbia practices on Rod Laver Arena ahead of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 11, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. Djokovic arrived in Melbourne on Thursday night to play in the upcoming Australian Open and was denied entry to Australia due to his inability to meet Australian entry requirements. He was sent to an immigration detention hotel while the decision to cancel his visa was reviewed in the Australian Federal Circuit Court. Djokovic was granted permission to enter Australia on Monday night and resumed practising soon after with another session this afternoon, while the Federal Government decides if they should still cancel his visa. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Related article Novak Djokovic is 'the best player in the history of men's tennis' but he is leaving a 'complicated' legacy off the court

It remains unclear whether Djokovic will defend his title in next week’s Australian Open. 

The Serbian world No. 1 was detained in Australia last week over a visa and vaccination dispute, and on Tuesday released a lengthy statement addressing his movements in December 2020.

Djokovic is waiting for Australia’s immigration minister to decide whether or not to revoke his reinstated visa ahead of the Australian Open. 

Here’s a timeline of events that led up to this:

Jan. 1

Jan. 2

Jan. 5

Jan. 6

Jan. 10

Jan. 11

Jan. 12

Jan. 13

“I refer to Mr. Hawke’s most recent statement and that position hasn’t changed,” he said, referring to Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, who could still decide to deport Djokovic. “These are personal ministerial powers able to be administered by Minister Hawke, and I don’t propose to make any further comment at this time.” 

Though Novak Djokovic’s visa was reinstated on Monday and he was released from detention, Australia’s immigration minister could still revoke his visa again and begin deportation proceedings.

Justin Quill, a partner with an Australian law firm in Melbourne, provided some insight on what to expect in this legal standoff.

Why is the decision taking so long? The government “already suffered a big embarrassment on Monday when they had to dramatically capitulate in the federal court,” Quill told CNN. “They just can’t afford, from a popularity point of view, to have that happen again.” That may be partly why Immigration Minister Alex Hawke is delaying his decision — and also partly because, with such high stakes, the government wants to create a watertight case.

Could Djokovic appeal again? Yes — even if Hawke chooses to revoke Djokovic’s visa, the tennis star could request a temporary injunction from the judge. During that extra time, he could stay in the country and appeal the decision. But “you can’t just appeal because you want to appeal,” Quill said — Djokovic would have to show the judge he has valid grounds to protest the decision.

Could the government let Djokovic stay? Hawke might choose to let the tennis star stay in the country if the government doesn’t have a strong enough case to deport him. They “might not be able to actually pull the trigger … because they might think this isn’t absolutely bulletproof,” Quill said.

When is the decision deadline? There isn’t one, from a legal standpoint. But waiting until the tournament is underway to revoke Djokovic’s visa would be a PR and political “disaster” for the government, Quill said — so we’ll likely see a decision either way before the Australian Open starts on Monday.

Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews weighed in on the Djokovic controversy Thursday with an unequivocal message: “Just get vaccinated.”

“That’s what I say to every single Victorian. That’s what I’ve done. That’s what my kids have done. That’s what families (have done). Ninety-three percent of our community has done this and I’m very proud of them, I’m very grateful,” he said.

But, he added, “we’ve got quite a way to go.”

The booster shot rollout is still ongoing, while Australia grapples with record daily new cases. New South Wales and Victoria, where Australian Open host city Melbourne is located, have been particularly hard hit.

“Rather than focusing on one person — and that tournament, by the way, is a lot bigger than any one person, it’s called a grand slam for reason — it’s bigger than any one person. Just like the safety of our community is bigger than any one person,” Andrews said.

If he’s allowed to stay in Australia, nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic will begin his title defense with a first-round match against fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic.

Former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal is on the same half of the draw as No.1 seed Djokovic, but the two would not meet until the semifinals if both players get that far. 

Nadal, seeded sixth, is scheduled to face American Marcos Giron in the first round. Of the Spaniard’s 20 major titles, just one is an Australian Open title, back in 2009.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison batted away a question from a reporter about Novak Djokovic’s visa status at a news conference in Canberra on Thursday.

Morrison was asked why a decision hadn’t been made yet on whether the Australian government would revoke Djokovic’s reinstated visa.

“I refer to Mr. Hawke’s most recent statement and that position hasn’t changed,” he said, referring to Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, who could still decide to deport Djokovic. “These are personal ministerial powers able to be administered by Minister Hawke, and I don’t propose to make any further comment at this time.” 

Veiled comments: Later in the news conference, Morrison received a thinly veiled question about Djokovic from a reporter, who asked whether unvaccinated non-citizens allowed into the country should be able to keep their visa — the very question Australian authorities have been grappling with since Djokovic landed in Melbourne last week.

The policy of requiring all international arrivals to be either fully vaccinated or have a medical exemption “hasn’t changed,” Morrison replied. “Of course, we will be expecting authorities to be implementing the policy of the government when it comes to those matters.”

Visa vs. vaccination requirement: As part of his legal defense, Djokovic’s team argued he had received his visa months ago, as well as an approved travel declaration that cleared him for quarantine-free travel — prompting some to wonder why his visa had been approved in the first place if he hadn’t met the vaccination requirement.

“(For) people who are coming to Australia … they may have acquired a visa recently, they may have acquired a visa some time ago,” Morrison said.
“That’s why it’s important to distinguish between the visa and then the condition to enter the border. They’re not one and the same thing, and they’re often conflated and shouldn’t be. They’re two things. You can have a visa, just like you can be a citizen or a resident returning — and the condition for you to come in and what happens after that will depend on vaccination status.”

The Australian Open men’s singles draw is underway, and World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is officially is listed as the No. 1 seed for the upcoming tournament.

The women’s singles draw has been completed. A potential fourth-round matchup could pit World No. 1 Ash Barty against defending champion, Naomi Osaka.

Osaka, seeded 13th, will begin her title defense with a first-round match against Camila Osorio of Colombia. Barty’s first-round opponent will be a qualifier.

After being postponed earlier today, the draw for the Australian Open has been moved to 4:15 p.m. local time in Melbourne (12:15 a.m. ET).

The Australian Open draw, which had been scheduled to begin at 11 p.m. ET (3 p.m. local time), has been postponed until further notice. No reason was given to media in attendance.

If you’re just joining us, here’s everything you need to know.

What: The draw for the Australian Open takes place today, but all eyes are on the country’s Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, who may decide in the coming hours whether or not to revoke tennis superstar Novak Djokovic’s reinstated visa and deport him — which could spark another legal standoff.

Djokovic arrived in Australia last week, only to have his visa canceled and face temporary detention because he did not have a valid medical exemption for the Covid-19 vaccination requirement for all arrivals. A judge on Monday ruled he should be allowed to stay and he was released from detention.

Where: The tournament takes place in Melbourne, where Djokovic arrived last week and has been training after his release on Monday.

Why Djokovic was detained: All international arrivals to Australia are required to be vaccinated — which Djokovic is not — unless they have a medical exemption. The government argued he didn’t have a valid exemption to the requirement.

Djokovic said he was under the impression he could enter because tournament organizers had granted him a medical exemption on the grounds he had been infected with Covid-19 in December, his visa had been approved ahead of arrival, and he had been cleared for quarantine-free travel.

Why the judge ruled in his favor: The government hadn’t given Djokovic enough advance notice about the cancellation of his visa or time to prepare materials in his defense, the judge said. After his arrival, Djokovic was told he would have a few hours to prepare — but the government decided to cancel his visa before the deadline they had given.

When: Djokovic tested positive in mid-December, and recovered enough to receive a medical exemption from Tennis Australia on December 30, according to court documents. He arrived in Australia on January 5, and was promptly placed in detention. He was released on Monday, January 10. The tournament runs from January 17-30.

Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said tennis star Novak Djokovic “has to abide by the laws” in an interview with CNN affiliate Nine News.

“The vast majority of Australians … don’t like the idea that another individual, whether they’re a tennis player or the king of Spain or the queen of England, can come up here and have a different set of rules to what everybody else has to deal with,” Joyce said, adding that whether people agree with the rules or not, they believe rules should be followed.

“That was the issue with Novak Djokovic,” the deputy prime minister said, “I think that the rules that one person follows is the rules everybody should follow. [Djokovic] is still a child of God like the rest of us, isn’t he? So he has to abide by the laws.”

Australian opposition leader Anthony Albanese said the situation with Djokovic’s visa has been “diabolical” for Australia’s reputation.

“How is it that a … visa was granted in the first place? This has been diabolical for Australia’s reputation, just in terms of our competence here and it is extraordinary that — as we are speaking — we still don’t know what the decision will be,” he said.

He added: “The decision should have been made before he was granted a visa. Either he was eligible or he wasn’t. Australia has a policy of not allowing unvaccinated people into Australia. It is beyond my comprehension how we have got to this point. … Why is it those checks and balances weren’t in place for … someone so prominent?”

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said he was “proud” to help tennis star Novak Djokovic as he faces a visa and vaccination dispute in Australia.

“Our job is to help the Serbian citizens. I am proud that through our effort we were able to help one of the best athletes of all times,” Vučić in an interview with public broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia.

“I think it is necessary that people are vaccinated,” Vučić told RTS, “But I am not one of those who are going to start chasing those who aren’t vaccinated, because I find it to be our fault — we have allowed the social networks to impose some nonsense topics that we were unable to deal with.”

Vučić also appeared to indirectly address Djokovic’s admission that he he did not immediately isolate after testing positive for Covid-19 in December.

“If you know you are infected, you shouldn’t be going out in public,” Vučić said.

Ticket sales for the Australian Open will be capped at 50% of capacity if they have not already sold to that level, according to a news release from the state of Victoria on Thursday. 

The amendment is being made “to ensure the health and safety of fans attending Melbourne Park,” the statement read. 

All tickets already sold remain valid and there are no changes to ground pass access. 

Face masks will be mandatory except when eating or drinking, and social distancing measures indoors will be imposed according to the state’s coronavirus regulations. 

“As COVID-19 hospitalisations and cases continue to rise in Victoria, these mitigation strategies are proportionate and designed to assist in limiting the spread of COVID-19,” the news release read.

CNN has reached out to Tennis Australia for comment.

The 2022 Australian Open begins on January 17 and runs through January 30. 

Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open participation has provided a tumultuous backdrop to the tournament. The Serbian world No. 1 was detained in Australia last week over a visa and vaccination dispute, and on Tuesday released a lengthy statement addressing his movements in December 2020.

Here is a timeline of some key events:

Jan. 1

Jan. 2

Jan. 5

Jan. 6

Jan. 10

Jan. 11

Jan. 12

Tennis star Novak Djokovic on Wednesday admitted he did not immediately isolate after testing positive for Covid-19 last month — but denied knowing he had the virus when attending public events.

In a statement published on social media, he also apologized for an apparently false travel declaration, saying it had been submitted on his behalf by a member of his support staff in “human error.”

Djokovic added that he had made an “error of judgment” in doing a media interview and photo shoot with a French sports newspaper after he had tested positive.

The journalist and photographer working for L’Equipe were not told Djokovic was Covid-positive before, during or after the interview with the tennis star in Belgrade, the French sports newspaper reported Wednesday.

Djokovic arrived in Melbourne last week and promptly had his visa canceled for entering the country without a valid exemption for the country’s vaccination requirement for all arrivals — but won the legal battle on Monday, with a judge ruling he should be allowed to stay.

But questions have lingered over Djokovic’s behavior — specifically, his positive Covid diagnosis last month before he arrived in Melbourne, and the public events he attended at the time.

“I want to address the continuing misinformation about my activities and attendance at events in December in the lead up to my positive PCR Covid test result,” he said in the statement.

“This is misinformation which needs to be corrected, particularly in the interest of alleviating broader concern in the community about my presence in Australia, and to address matters which are very hurtful and concerning to my family.

“I want to emphasize that I have tried very hard to ensure the safety of everyone and my compliance with testing obligations.”

Read his full statement: