Banned from Australia for three years, Novak Djokovic arrives in Dubai

Bengaluru, January 17: World No.1 men's tennis player Novak Djokovic arrived in Dubai in the early hours on Monday (January 17) after his deportation from Australia over its required coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination ended the ace Serbian's hopes of defending his Australian Open title.

The AP news agency reported that Emirates plane carrying Djokovic touched down after a 13 1/2-hour flight from Melbourne, where he had argued in court he should be allowed to stay in the country and compete in the tournament under a medical exemption due to a COVID-19 infection last month.

Djokovic, who is unvaccinated against COVID-19, is therefore unable to participate in the Australian Open, where he was due to launch his quest for a record-extending 10th title against fellow Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic on Monday.

Australian Open: Novak Djokovic set to be deported after losing appeal

It was not immediately clear where Djokovic planned to travel next. The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which Djokovic won in 2020, does not start until February 14.

Djokovic had won nine Australian Open titles, including three in a row, and a total of 20 Grand Slam singles trophies, tied with rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the most in the history of men's tennis.

Federer is not playing while recovering from injury, and Nadal is the only former Australian Open men's champion in the tournament that began Monday.

Djokovic's visa was initially canceled on January 6 by a border official who decided he did not qualify for a medical exemption from Australia's rules for unvaccinated visitors.

He was exempted from the tournament's vaccine rules because he had been infected with the virus within the previous six months.

He won an appeal to stay for the tournament, but Australia's immigration minister Alex Hawke later revoked his visa. Three Federal Court judges decided unanimously on Sunday (January 16) to affirm the immigration minister's right to cancel Djokovic's visa.

Later Australia's minister for home affairs Karen Andrews confirmed that Djokovic has been banned form the country for three years.

Djokovic banned from Australia for three years, federal government confirms

After departing Australia, he will now be unable to return for the next three years, as is standard for the deportation order under the Migration Act - although this is subject to application and he could be permitted to return before then.

However, as it stands the 34-year-old would miss the next three editions of the slam.

The long-running saga began after Djokovic was held at an airport in Melbourne when he arrived in the country on January 6. The ATP world No.1 one won an appeal to overturn the first bid to deport him from the country, but immigration minister Hawke used his powers to again cancel the visa on Friday (January 14) and Djokovic left Australia late on Sunday (January 16).

Speaking on the Today Show, Andrews said, " The outcome of the process that went before the Federal Court and their determinations - the visa was cancelled by (immigration) minister (Alex) Hawke.

"That cancellation was upheld by the Federal Court, so as a result of that, he will be banned from entry for three years into the country.

"Now there are some compelling reasons that may be looked at, but that's all hypothetical at this point. Any application will be reviewed on its merits."

(With inputs from Agencies)