Novak Djokovic’s hopes of an Australian Open title defence were looking more than bleak as he prepared for a hit with his lawyers rather than practice court opponents less than 48 hours before the start of the tournament.
The world’s No.1 player, who will be detained by immigration officials in Melbourne on Saturday, is making one last stand to get a government decision to cancel his visa overturned for a second time.
Yet even if he was to win his battle – increasingly seen as a real long shot after Immigration Minister Alex Hawke cancelled the Serb’s visa on Friday – his preparations will surely have been completely scuppered.
For the Australian Open announced on Friday that the top half of the men’s draw would be playing on Monday’s opening day, which would leave Djokovic no chance of proper preparation to face a first round match with Serbian compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic.
Spared detention on Friday, he is likely to be back at the same immigration detention hotel in Melbourne on Saturday night that he stayed in on his arrival in Australia 10 days earlier.
Then, even if he was able to successfully appeal the case on Sunday, what sort of shape, physically and mentally, would he be in to play the following day after his extraordinary travails of the previous week-and-a-half?
(Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Back home in Serbia, there was fresh indignation at the news of the national hero’s latest detention as Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic accused the Australian government of “harassing” and “maltreating” Djokovic, suggesting it was indulging in political points scoring ahead of the elections.
Djokovic’s former coach and mentor, Niki Pilic, described the situation as “shameful” and said Djokovic was being treated like a “criminal.”
Meanwhile, a health ministry official there said the document recording Djokovic’s positive test for COVID-19 in December was valid.
Yet back in Australia, it seemed to be increasingly unlikely that Djokovic would get his chance to win a 10th Australian Open title and a record 21st grand slam in all as weariness over the entire saga just kept growing.
Even those who weren’t necessarily against Djokovic seemed to think it might be time for him to step aside for the sake of the sport, as much as himself.
Seven-time grand slam champion Justine Henin said: “I think it’s the best thing he doesn’t play at the moment.
“When something is so complicated, I don’t say that Djokovic doesn’t have to fight, because he thought it was the right thing to do, but I think now it’s been proved that so many Australian people don’t want him to play.
“So maybe it’s better for everyone – for tennis, for the tournament, and maybe for him – that he doesn’t play.”
Leading Australian coach Darren Cahill posted on social media: “Fault lies everywhere here. It’s been a mess. Novak, TA, Vic Gov, Federal Gov.”
Eureka
Guest
They will and they are enabling it and they will end up on the wrong side of history, but it will probably be too late by the time they pull their heads out of the sand.
Eureka
Guest
These fools don’t have a clue, well said on all points.
coolncold
Roar Rookie
enoughisenough
Roar Rookie
My hope is, that one day, those cheering for Djocovic’s arbitrary removal from this country, are subject to the same over-reaching persecution by some Government agency. Maybe then they will stop identifying with their tyrannical overlords. But then again, maybe not. The Stockholm Syndrome seems to be strong in many.
Enna Maher
Guest
Just one or two more j a bs and there will be no need to turn yours off .
sheek
Roar Guru
Enna Maher: Oxygen - OFF.
Enna Maher
Guest
Great work , did you get paid for that ? No ! Perhaps you should head down to the local courthouse and do a bit of pro bono work , I'm sure the cra ckheads and thi eves would appreciate it very much.
Enna Maher
Guest
If you jog on,I suspect its around and around in the wheel lab rat .
Enna Maher
Guest
I cant see why you've been having a conniption for the last week or so. He's been impri soned againdt his will, with no genuine reason in a supposedly demo cratic country. He's been exposed to a bun gling burea ucracy making laws up on the run to suit the narra tive. The media has only shown only one side of this deba cle, and painted any one who agrees with him as a villain. All of that , due to the fact that he chooses not to be a lab rat and participate in this global phsyc op. I can't see where he's been treated any differently to a huge number of Australians. The things that gets under your skin is that he stands for something, and he has the money to fight for it. The truth ( do you remember what that is ) is that you'd like to see him kicked to the gutter like so many Austral ians that have had their lives destr oyed on the back of this hoax.
sheek
Roar Guru
Enna Maher, I don’t know you & don’t care for your views. You don’t know me & have no idea of the depth of my thinking. In any case, this is an opinion site. If you don’t like what you read, leave. But don’t come on here throwing personal insults.
Enna Maher
Guest
See , you've defended the gr uubs. Open your eyes , you're hypnotised .
sheek
Roar Guru
Enna Maher, I couldn't give a toss what you think. Go back to Serbia or whichever rock you crawled out of. Read about the many Aussies who have been screwed by our Fed & state govts. This is about forcing our Fed govt to apply the same standards to Djoker that they have applied to many other people & demonstrate that Djoker isn't entitled to be treated differently. But don't you worry, you carry on with your rubbish.
Enna Maher
Guest
You need to take a long look at yourself , you've whined like a petu lant child for days on end about this . It's the govern ments around the world that' have created this whole debacle , but simpl ton s such as yourself are so in love with the ones holding you to ransom , ( Stock holm syn drome ) that you desperately want someone to blame, and to see your decision to take part in this global medi cal experi ment ( like a lab rat ) as justified. This bloke is a champion for many reasons , none more than taking on this vile corr upt bureau cracy that's destroying lives , economies, families and just about everything else in its path at the moment. Get another j a b genius and another and another , to infinity and beyond , and drop de ad anyway as a result.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I assume you mean whether the exemption is valid. It’s not, but surely the Fed Govt’s QC is smarter than me.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Sheek I don’t know what the parameters of the application are.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Barristers will be by the day. But fair point.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Ha ha, happy to be of service guys
Adsa
Roar Rookie
Nice word Jameswm, I am going to use that this week.
coolncold
Roar Rookie
I am not a tennis fan, anti-vaxxer, anti-Serbian guy nor Djokovic hater. I am a soccer fan only. If you doubt, just check on my profile and comments on The Roar. I think Djokovic is real stupid to say in Twitter that the declaration card was prepared by his staff. If he tweets with that, the whole world know. I know. So, should the immigration minister just let that be, the whole world sees a bad example.
Monorchid
Roar Rookie
I have some sympathy for your argument MP, but none for Djokovic's position. The way I see things is an attempted marriage of convenience gone wrong between a cash strapped Tennis Australia desperate for draw cards and a financially successful tournament. And an aging player who doesn't need the money, but who would like a perhaps last chance to surpass records for the number of AOs won by a player, and to beat the records of Federer and Nadal. As for TA paying the piper, I sincerely hope so. I'm in Sheek's camp. This debacle has exhausted me more than the Israel Filau fiasco.