Novak Djokovic Trains At Australian Open Venue As Participation Hangs In Balance
NDTV
Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic was training at the Australian Open venue on Tuesday, AFP journalists saw, a day after he won a legal battle against the cancellation of his visa.
Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic trained at the Australian Open venue Tuesday in search of a record 21st Grand Slam but his dream hung in the balance as the government pondered cancelling his visa, again. The world number one had scored a stunning courtroom victory the day before, overturning the Australian government's decision to cancel his visa on Covid-19 vaccination grounds. The unvaccinated 34-year-old Serbian ace now says he is determined to stay in Melbourne and compete in the Australian Open, which starts in just six days.
"I remain focused on that. I flew here to play at one of the most important events we have in front of the amazing fans," Djokovic said on Instagram Monday.
Wearing a t-shirt and shorts, he limbered up in a gym Tuesday accompanied by coach Goran Ivanisevic before going into the players' area and heading for centre court at Melbourne Park, two AFP journalists saw.
Djokovic, a nine-time Australian Open champion, jetted into the country six days ago carrying a medical exemption from vaccination due to a positive coronavirus test on December 16 last year.
After overnight questioning at Melbourne airport, border officials decided the exemption was not valid, cancelled his visa and transferred him to a detention centre pending deportation.
