An Australian court has set a hearing for January 6 on Novak Djokovic’s appeal of the cancellation of his visa after the tennis world No. 1 was denied entry into the country to defend his Australian Open crown.
Djokovic’s injunction request against the visa cancellation was listed for hearing at 4 p.m. local time in the Federal Circuit and Family Court, according to court documents quoted by Reuters.
The Australian Border Force on January 5 denied Djokovic entry into the country and his visa was canceled on grounds that he failed to provide evidence of double vaccination or a medical exemption when he arrived in the country.
The tennis star, who is seeking a record 21st grand slam title, was detained at Melbourne’s airport overnight before being moved to a quarantine hotel in Melbourne.
The 34-year-old Serb, who has won nine titles at Melbourne Park including the last three, has refused to reveal his vaccine status publicly but has previously voiced opposition to getting the vaccine.
He ended weeks of speculation on January 4 when he announced on social media that he had received an exemption to play in the Australian Open, which begins on January 17.
All participants at the tournament must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a medical exemption. Among the conditions allowing entry without a vaccine is if a person has had COVID-19 in the past six months. It has not been revealed if that was the case with Djokovic.
When Djokovic arrived in Melbourne, Australia’s Border Force questioned him and revoked his visa, citing a failure to “provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements.”
Djokovic’s claim that he had received an exemption had already caused a public outcry in Australia, where people have endured multiple strict lockdowns and have been unable to travel overseas for much of the last two years.
Australia’s adult vaccination rate of about 91 percent is high by international standards and there is little public sympathy for people who refuse to be inoculated, and the omicron variant is spreading in Australia. The country registered its fourth consecutive daily record in COVID-19 infections on January 5.
In Serbia, Djokovic’s treatment provoked an outcry defending the tennis champion.
“The whole of Serbia is with him and…our authorities are undertaking all measures in order that maltreatment of the world’s best tennis player ends as soon as possible,” President Aleksandar Vucic said after speaking with Djokovic over the phone.
“In line with all standards of international public law, Serbia will fight for Novak Djokovic, justice and truth.”
