MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Instead of starting the defense of his Australian Open title on Monday, Novak Djokovic was slated to be deported from the country, a stunning and unprecedented end to his run of success at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic has won nine of his 20 Grand Slam trophies at the Australian Open — including three in a row — and was scheduled to play in the main stadium to conclude Day 1 of the tournament.
But the No. 1-ranked player in men's tennis now must leave Australia after
three Federal Court judges decided unanimously Sunday to affirm the immigration minister's right to cancel Djokovic's visa. The ruling was made less than 18 hours before the first Grand Slam matches of 2022 were scheduled to begin.
Djokovic said he was "extremely disappointed" by the legal outcome but respected the decision and would cooperate in his "departure from the country." He also said he planned "to rest and to recuperate."
The 34-year-old from Serbia was trying to use a medical exemption approved by two independent medical panels and Tennis Australia to get around the requirements that everyone at the Australian Open — players, their support teams, spectators and others — be inoculated against COVID-19.