Novak Djokovic has broken his silence to thank his supporters while spending another night at an immigration prison hotel when Australian officials canceled another tennis player’s visa.
The world’s No. 1 has taken to Instagram for the first time since arriving in Australia amid the visa dispute over his COVID-19 vaccination status, which has resulted in him being accommodated in a hotel in Melbourne ahead of his Australian Open title defense .
Watch the video above to see Novak Djokovic’s family hit the ongoing drama
“Thank you to people around the world for your continued support,” Djokovic said.
“I can feel it and it’s much appreciated.”
A pastor from the Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church in Melbourne asked to visit Djokovic on Friday on what is Orthodox Christmas Day in Serbia, but was not allowed due to the closure of the hotel.
“Our Christmas is rich in many customs, and it is so important that a pastor visit him,” the dean of the church, Milorad Locard, told ABC.
“The whole thing about this event is appalling. That he has to spend Christmas in detention … that’s unthinkable.”
Djokovic’s wife Jelena has also written on social media and suggested that her husband be treated with compassion.
“My consolation is that we are at least healthy. And we will grow from this experience, ”she said on Instagram.
“Thank you dear people, all over the world for using your voice to send love to my husband.
“I take a deep breath to calm down and find gratitude (and understanding) in this moment for all that is happening.
“The only law we should all respect across every single border is love and respect for another human being.
“Love and forgiveness are never a mistake, but a powerful force.”
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The saga took another turn on Saturday after documents surfaced that allegedly show that Tennis Australia had informed players that they did not need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter Australia if they had had the virus. in the previous six months.
“The following are now clarified as a category you may be eligible for a temporary medical exemption for: Recently PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (after July 31, 2021), where a vaccination may be postponed to six months after the infection,” said the TA letter to the players, published by Herald Sun..
This information was at odds with TA chief Craig Tiley, who had been told several times by health officials and Health Secretary Greg Hunt himself in late November.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) advice on a temporary exemption from receiving a vaccine due to a recent infection does not apply to unvaccinated travelers seeking entry into Australia.
TA, which addressed the controversy for the first time, denied that the growing evidence showed it was to blame for Djokovic’s visa problems.
“We completely reject that the playing group was deliberately misled,” TA said in a statement Friday night.
“Informing players that they could enter the country with a medical exception was taken from the Smart Traveler website, which Greg Hunt directly referred us to.”
Kyrgios: ‘I do not want any bar from him’
Nick Kyrgios has warned that a fired Djokovic will be out to “keep it to everyone” if the nine-time champion is able to play in the Australian Open.
He doubled his Friday call on the Australian authorities to “do better” than the humiliating treatment of Djokovic, saying it was not “humane” and that the Serb had been highlighted because of his superstar status.
“I feel with him now, it’s not really humane what’s going on … I want it to end,” Krygios said at a press conference at Sydney Tennis International.
But Kyrgios does not think the world’s No. 1 detention in a small hotel room will weaken his hopes of landing a record-breaking 21st grand slam title in Melbourne.
He hopes not to meet him early in the draw.
“If he’s allowed to play the Australian Open, I will not have any bar from him,” said Kyrgios.
“I expect he will get angry – he will be very determined to play well and keep it to everyone what happens.
“I think he will have no problem preparing and that’s just extra fuel for him.
“We all know how good a competitor he is – one does not become such a great champion without being able to overcome some adversity like this and I am sure he has overcome much more challenging times than using a a few extra days more in a hotel room. “
The pair have a motley history, but Kyrgios, who has fallen to world number 93, revealed that they used to be friends who practiced together before tournaments.
He said Djokovic had also been generous with his money and time when he tried to raise money for the bushfire appeal in 2020.
“The media is so quick to jump on things like this and forget that he actually helped us,” 26-year-old Krygios said.
“Most athletes would not do it, they are selfish. I do not forget that and I do not think it is right.”
Border guards track and deport Czech player
Czech doubles specialist Renata Voracova has been placed in the same hotel by the Australian Border Force (ABF) with her visa canceled despite the fact that she has already played an event in Melbourne this week.
And ABF has also confirmed that action has been taken against a third person within the tennis year group.
“One person (a coach) has voluntarily traveled from Australia … and a third person (Voracova’s) visa has been canceled,” ABF said.
It is understood that both cited a recent COVID-19 infection in their bid for a vaccine exemption.
The 38-year-old veteran Voracova, ranked No. 81 in doubles in the world, arrived in Australia last month and has already played in a warm-up event in Melbourne.
The Czech Foreign Ministry has ordered an ‘please explain’ from Australian officials.
A statement from Prague confirmed that Voracova would return home and not challenge the decision, while also suggesting that there were several players already in the same predicament.
“We can confirm that the Czech tennis player Renata Voracova is in the same detention as Djokovic along with several other players,” the Czech Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“We submitted a protest note through our embassy in Canberra asking for an explanation of the situation.
“But Renata Voracova decided to drop out of the tournament due to limited training opportunities and to leave Australia.”
On Friday, Serbia’s Foreign Ministry overturned Australia’s decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa, saying the star was the victim of a political game.
In a statement, Serbian Secretary of State Nemanja Starovic said the Serbian government did not want to influence the forthcoming trial in Australia but wanted Mr Djokovic to be moved to better housing in the meantime.
“The Serbian public has a strong impression that Djokovic is a victim of a political game against his will and that he was enticed to travel to Australia to be humiliated,” the ministry statement said.
“Novak Djokovic is not a criminal, terrorist or illegal migrant, but he was treated that way by the Australian authorities, causing understandable indignation among his fans and citizens in Serbia.”
Home Secretary Karen Andrews said Djokovic was not being held captive in Australia.
“He’s free to leave anytime he chooses to do so and the Border Force will facilitate it,” she told ABC News Friday morning.
Watch the video below to see Home Secretary Karen Andrews talk about the saga
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The Professional Tennis Players Association, an organization founded by Djokovic and Canadian player Vasek Pospisil, issued a statement Friday after contacting the world No. 1.
It read: “The PTPA has been in close contact with Mr Djokovic, his family and legal advisers, officials and the Australian Opens management. Mr Djokovic has confirmed his well-being to us.
“He has also requested that we allow him to personally share the facts of his detention with his own words and in his own time.”
The dean of Melbourne’s Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church, Father Milorad Locard, reportedly sought to visit Djokovic on Friday to mark the Orthodox Christmas with him.
“That he should spend Christmas in custody is unthinkable,” he told ABC.
At a protest and press conference in Belgrade, Djokovic’s father Srdjan claimed that the 20-time grand slam winner had been “crucified” by Australian authorities.
“He met all the necessary conditions for participation and participation in the tournament, which he certainly would have won, as it is Novak, the best tennis player and athlete in the world,” said Djokovic senior.
“Jesus was crucified and endured many things, but is still alive among us. Novak will also be crucified … He will persevere. ”
Unlikely support
Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios, one of Djokovic’s harshest critics, says the Serb deserves better treatment than the humiliation he is facing right now.
Kyrgios is pro vaccination, but called Djokovic’s situation “really bad”.
“Look, I definitely believe in acting, I was vaccinated because of others and for my mother’s health, but how we handle Novak’s situation is bad, really bad,” the 26-year-old tweeted.
“Like these memes, headlines, this is one of our great masters, but in the end he is human. Do it better.”
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