Top News

Novak Djokovic holds a training session with the Prime Ministers of Australia and Serbia on the phone about his controversial visa

Lakshmi

Melbourne, Australia – Tennis star Novak Djokovic He held a training session at Melbourne Park on Tuesday, the second day of his release from custody on Tuesday, focusing on defending his Australian Open title despite facing the possibility of being deported for not being vaccinated for COVID-19.

The first-ranked Serbian player hit the show courts just hours after winning a legal battle on Monday against the cancellation of his visa on practical grounds. He returned for a closed practice on Tuesday, the doors were locked, and only his support team was allowed inside the Rod Lever arena.

Aerial footage taken by helicopter from Australian TV networks showed the nine-time Australian Open winner returning to work within a week of the start of this year’s first Grand Slam.

The video shows Djokovic hitting shots from behind the baseline, getting feedback from his coach, and stretching near the court with a coach on a sunny but mild summer afternoon.

Soon, organizers released the seeds for the Australian Open, and Djokovic was listed No. 1 in the men’s singles draw.

Djokovic, who has been locked up in an immigration detention center for four days, is trying to pass the time feeling that his visa could be revoked.

Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke is considering implementing his authority to deport a tennis star under separate law, assessing the medical exemption for not vaccinating Djokovic to go to Melbourne and the information in the visa application.

The Australian Associated Press said on Tuesday it did not expect the decision, following a statement from Hawkins’ office that said the matter was still under consideration.

The prime ministers of Australia and Serbia discussed Djokovic’s dangerous visa earlier on Tuesday.

The kidnapping drama polarized ideas and garnered strong support for the 20-time Grand Slam winner in his home Serbia.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic have agreed in a telephone conversation to contact the 34 – year – old’s controversial visa, Morrison’s office said.

“The Prime Minister explained our impartial border policy and its role in protecting Australia during the Govt-19 epidemics,” Morrison’s office said in a statement. “They both agreed to stay in touch on the issue.”

Serbia’s public broadcaster Radio Television reports that Brennick Morrison has been asked to ensure that the tennis star is treated with dignity.

“The [Serbian] Given that Novak Djokovic was not allowed to train in the previous days, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of the conditions for training and physical preparation for the upcoming tournament, ” the RTS said.

Djokovic posted a picture of himself and three members of his team on social media in Melbourne Park early Tuesday morning.

“I’m pleased and grateful that the judge canceled my visa. Despite all this, I want to stay and participate in the #AustralianOpen competition. I’ll focus on that,” he said. Djokovic tweeted. “I flew here to play at one of the most important events we hold in front of amazing fans.”

Djokovic’s visa was revoked by a border official at Melbourne Airport on Thursday.

A judge revoked his visa and ordered Djokovic released from custody on Monday, citing procedural errors by border officials at the airport.

Djokovic was given a medical exemption from the Victorian state government and tournament organizer Tennis Australia from vaccination rules last month after contracting Govt-19.

But the Australian Border Force has refused to exempt him from national immunization rules for incoming non-citizens.

It said infection in the previous six months was a reason for vaccination exclusion in cases where the corona virus caused severe illness.

Documents released by a federal circuit court have raised new questions about Djokovic’s entry into the country after he told authorities he had not traveled 14 days before leaving for Australia.

Djokovic, based in Monte Carlo, touched down in Melbourne shortly before midnight on Wednesday, answering a “no” to a previous trip to his Australian travel notice form.

But the current Australian Open champion is Dec. Playing tennis on the streets of the Serbian capital Belgrade on the 25th and training in Spain on the 31st – both dates within a 14-day window.

The notice states that providing false or misleading information is a serious offense and that civil penalties are available.

Djokovic told border officials that Tennis Australia had completed the declaration on his behalf, but the officer who revoked his visa noted that the sports system would have made it easier “based on the information provided by the visa holder”.

Czech tennis player after Djokovic’s visa was revoked Renata Vorakova And an unnamed European tennis official has been deported for similar reasons.

Morrison’s Conservative government has blamed tennis Australia for the defeat, with ministers accusing it of misleading players about Australia’s vaccination requirements. But newspapers say Tennis has begged the Australian Interior Ministry to verify the visa documents of Djokovic and other players before boarding their flights. The department did not.

Opposition Interior Ministry spokeswoman Christina Kennelly blamed the government’s lack of planning for the unrest.

“If Djokovic is deported, it’s incredible damage to Australia,” Kennell told Seven Network television, but “if he stays, it’s incredible damage to our strict border laws and a real disgrace to Australians who have done hard work. Locking and vaccinating work.”

Kennelly said Djokovic’s history made Australia “a little funny” on the world stage.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who is hosting the Australian Open, said the federal government had changed the boundary rules in recent months.

“You may recall that when we talked about the exceptions earlier, Minister Hawk said that his expectation was that you would not come into the country if you did not play tennis or do anything else, unless you had a double standard.” “Andrews, who loves Kennelly, is a member of the center-left Labor Party.

“It simply came to our notice then that this was not the position of the Commonwealth government and that they had allowed those who did not have a double standard to enter,” Andrews added.