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SRDJAN DJOKOVIC is unsurprisingly unhappy with his son’s treatment in Melbourne.
Srdjan Djokovic, Novak Djokovic’s father, has labelled his son’s treatment in Melbourne as an ‘assassination attempt’ ahead of his deportation. Djokovic, publicly opposed to Covid vaccination, has been forced to leave Australia after having his visa cancelled twice in two weeks.
The 34-year-old’s vaccination status saw him held by the Australian Border Force upon arriving in Melbourne on January 6.
He had been granted a medical exemption by Tennis Australia and the Victoria State Government to defend his Australian Open title this month.
But two spells in an immigration detention hotel – and a successful initial appeal between – later, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke stripped Djokovic of his visa again.
And on Sunday morning, the Federal Court of Australia upheld Hawke’s decision, meaning Djokovic can’t pursue a record-extending 10th title at Melbourne Park and currently faces a three-year ban from entering the country.
He said: “The attempt to assassinate the best athlete in the world has ended. 50 bullets in Novak’s chest. See you in Paris.”
Djokovic was dominant at the 2021 French Open, on his way to winning three of the four Grand Slams on offer last season.
The Serb superstar defeated Matteo Berrettini, the ‘King of Clay’ Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas on his way to glory.
In doing so, he squashed Nadal’s four-year-long run of dominance at Roland Garros and moved one behind the Spaniard and Roger Federer on 19 Grand Slam titles.
Djokovic’s victory at Wimbledon later in the year drew him level with the iconic duo, and he would’ve been confident of surpassing their achievements at this year’s Australian Open.
He will have to wait until the French Open to do that, though, where Nadal will undoubtedly be hungry to reclaim his crown.
But his father’s comments suggest he’s going to be well up for the fight, especially if Nadal goes on to win in Melbourne in his absence this year.
