Novak Djokovic says he still experiences “trauma” when he visits Melbourne, three years after he was deported because of Australia’s Covid-19 regulations.
Djokovic, who was not vaccinated against the virus, had his visa cancelled by the Australian government on “health and good order” grounds.
He was forced to stay at an immigration hotel for five days while he unsuccessfully appealed against the decision and was eventually forced to leave the country, meaning he missed the 2022 Australian Open.
Djokovic returned to Melbourne the following year, with Covid restrictions eased, and went on to win the Grand Slam for a record 10th time. The Serb, 37, is back in Australia preparing for the 2025 tournament, which begins on Sunday.
“The last couple of times I landed in Australia, to go through passport control and immigration – I had a bit of trauma from three years ago,” Djokovic told Melbourne’s Herald Sun., external.
‘Djokovic still has trauma over Covid deportation’
(FILES) Novak Djokovic of Serbia fields questions from the media during the Western & Southern Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 13, 2023 in Mason, Ohio. - Novak Djokovic is back at a tournament in the United States for the first time in two years and is preparing to make the most of his new opportunity at the ATP/WTA Cincinnati Open. (Photo by MATTHEW STOCKMAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
