Explained: Why was Novak Djokovic not let into Australia?

Even though Novak Djokovic was granted a medical exemption to get around a COVID-19 vaccine requirement at the hard-court tournament, his visa for entry into Australia was revoked on January 6

Novak Djokovic came within one victory of sweeping all four of last year’s Grand Slam tennis tournaments and entered 2022 needing one title to set the men’s record of 21 major championships.

He might not get the chance to pursue that mark at the Australian Open when play begins in Melbourne on January 17.

That’s because, even though Djokovic, a 34-year-old from Serbia, was granted a medical exemption to get around a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all players and their support teams at the hard-court tournament, his visa for entry into Australia was revoked in the early hours of January 6, local time, after he was detained at the airport for about eight hours.