New Delhi: The Serbian Tennis legend Novak Djokovic recently revealed that he still faces trauma whenever he visits Melbourne after being detained and deported during the Covid-19. Three years ago, his visa was cancelled by the government because he was not vaccinated against the virus.
In a conversation with Melbourne’s Herald Sun ahead of the Australian Open 2024, Djokovic said that he had a bit of trauma from three years ago and some traces are still with him when he passes passport control.
“I have to be quite frank…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. And some traces still stay there when I’m passing passport control, just checking out if someone from the immigration zone is approaching,” Djokovic said.
The Serbian Tennis legend was forced to stay in a hotel while awaiting for court’s decision on his entry into Australia. Later, He was forced to leave the country just a few days before he was scheduled to walk on court as the defending champion in January 2022.
He returned to Melbourne the following year when the Covid restrictions were eased in the country and went on to win the Australian Open for a record 10th time. Djokovic said that he doesn’t hold any grudge against anyone.
He also said that he came back the next year and won the title in front of his parents and the whole team and it was one of the most emotional wins considering all that he had been through the year before. Novak Djokovic will return to the Australia Open with a new partnership as his former rival Andy Murray will join him as a coach.
‘Covid was tough for all of us’: Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said that the responsibility of granting visas is a matter for the federal government and those decisions were made by the federal government at that time.
“Covid was tough for all of us. It didn’t matter who you were, where you came from, Covid didn’t discriminate in who it infected, how sick it made you and how sick it made others in our community” said Allan, who was part of a government crisis cabinet leading the Australian response to virus in 2022.
Novak Djokovic revealed Melbourne airport still brings back traumatic memories of his 2022 deportation over-vaccination issues. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
