Novak Djokovic (SRB) in action during the Rolex Paris Masters, ½ FINAL, match between Novak Djokovic (SRB) and Grigor Dimitrov (BUL), Day 06, at the Hotel Accord Arena, on November 02, 2019, in Paris, France. Photo by Loic Baratoux/Abaca/Sipa USA
Rolex Paris Masters – Djokovic vs Dimitrov
AUSTRALIA (AP) – Locked in a dispute over his COVID-19 vaccination status, Novak Djokovic was confined to an immigration detention hotel in Australia on Thursday as the No. 1 men’s tennis player in the world awaited a court ruling on whether he can compete in the Australian Open later this month.
Djokovic, a vocal skeptic of vaccines, had traveled to Australia after Victoria state authorities granted him a medical exemption to the country’s strict vaccination requirements. But when he arrived late Wednesday, the Australian Border Force rejected his exemption as invalid and barred him from entering the country.
A court hearing on his bid to stave off deportation was set for Monday, while the 34-year-old Serb and defending Australian Open champion was forced to wait it out in Melbourne at a secure hotel used by immigration officials to house asylum seekers and refugees.
The tournament begins on Jan. 17.
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