Djokovic free but Australia deportation threat still looms

Novak Djokovic swapped one court for another on Tuesday, hitting a few practice shots at Melbourne Park as he warms up for his bid to win a record 21st tennis major at next week’s Australian Open.

A week after he arrived in Australia, Djokovic finally reached centre court thanks to Monday’s court ruling quashing the federal government’s earlier decision to cancel his visa.

However, the world number one still faces the threat of being detained by the federal government for a second time and deported. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke’s office said he was still considering whether to use his discretionary power to cancel Djokovic’s visa.

“In line with due process, Minister Hawke will thoroughly consider the matter,” a spokesman said in an email. “As the issue is ongoing, for legal reasons it is inappropriate to comment further.”

Australia has a policy barring non-citizens or non-residents from entry unless they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It allows for medical exemptions, but the government argued that unvaccinated Djokovic did not provide adequate justification for an exemption.

via Reuters