Scott Morrison had responded to questioning at a COVID press conference by warning that Djokovic — who was in the air at the time — would be "on the next plane home"Then, once the ABF released a statement confirming the newly-arrived Djokovic's visa had been rejected, Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić added an element of international diplomatic concern, vowing to "fight" for Djokovic to be able to enter Australia.
The argument has now switched to the courtroom, with Djokovic in immigration detention appealing the decision to deny him a visa.The Open is one of tennis' four grand slam events, the focus of attention for much of the world in the early part of each sporting year. The crowds, the atmosphere, the hot weather and the quality of the tennis all add up to a very watchable fortnight at Melbourne Park.The tournament was delayed into February due to COVID, and players — including Djokovic — grumbling about being forced into 14 days of quarantine on arrival in Australia in order to play, and then state government-announced lockdowns meant there were no crowds for roughly half the tournament.
The absence of crowds for large portions of last year's Australian Open detracted from the occasion at one of tennis' four majors. One of tennis' biggest prizes being contested in empty stadia had a damaging effect on the atmosphere and the spectacle.But fast forward to 2022, and even before the turn of the New Year, there were question marks as COVID's new Omicron variant took hold around the world.
Look poor Australia rich people have more rights and this all over the news is a clear example of overshadowing what is really happening and the pollies are loving it
Dkiched
ZGAZI IH NOLEEE! 🙌
One player does not a tournament make. Get a local to take his schedule.
Boycott the tennis.
I hope this Grand Slam moves to Asia, South America or Africa. Your country does NOT deserve a grand slam. BoycottAustralianOpen WeStandWithDjokovic WeStandWithNovak
Absolutely parhetic treatment of a professional athelete.. BoycottAustralianOpen
Who cares. Shut up about tennis. The world is burning.
Has CraigTiley even fronted the media.
If he can’t follow the rules then he can piss off home, there are Australian citizens who can’t get into the country & no one bats and eye over that but a tennis player & everyone is up in arms
Vilifying the unvaccinated is just a political distraction from having to discuss the current spread of COVID-19 in the vaccinated population. Australian were forced vaccinated to stop politician looking bad for deficient health systems. Pretty simple, feel like this guy looks?
The English test team met the requirements and came in. Is the rest of Djokovic’s life so badly managed?
And maybe we should all tell SerbiaBased where to go also, as Jokeavic father he's a trouble maker, ban them both from Australia permanently
can we please use this 'sound&fury' fluff piece to highlight the terrible treatment of asylum seekers in the same hotel... for decades?
When people travel overseas they have to abide by the visa rules as well as the legal rules and laws of that country. No different here. Just because his a well known tennis player doesn’t give him the right to not abide by the country’s laws. So low the dad using the race card.
Either way Tiley has to resign or face the sack
mpshe_shamai Very interesting.
The crickets on. Whocares
Australia government embarrassed Australia people
Bad judgment Vic Govt trying to ignore and override the rules
why don't the other players just boycott and pull out of the Australian Open......they would have ITF support.
Tennis Australia should have told Mr Djokovic - 'Mate, this country is a former penal colony that's almost fully vaccinated. There is no way you're getting past border security unvaccinated.' - instead of running their own exemption process hoping to bluff the proper authorities.
Really he’s a person, and this is a country FFS let’s get our priorities right !