World No.1 Djokovic Faces Possible End to 4 Consecutive Australian Open Titles Due to Vaccine Refusal?

Novak Djokovic is holding up the trophy after winning his ninth career title at the Australian Open on February 21 last year.
Photo by AFP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] Novak Djokovic, the world No. 1 male professional tennis player, is in conflict with the Australian government over his participation in this year's first major tournament, the Australian Open. While the Australian government is refusing entry to Djokovic due to his unvaccinated status against COVID-19, Djokovic claims he has received a vaccination exemption from the tournament organizers and is preparing legal action.

According to AP News and others, Djokovic arrived at Melbourne International Airport on the afternoon of the 5th but failed to pass immigration screening. COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for entry into Australia. Djokovic faced the risk of deportation after his visa was denied.

Djokovic did not back down. He is currently staying at a quarantine hotel in Melbourne and preparing legal measures. He plans to remain in Australia until the 10th to pursue legal action.

Djokovic stated that before entering Australia, he received a vaccination exemption from the Victoria state government, where the Australian Open is held, and from the tournament organizers. He submitted related documents proving his vaccination exemption during the entry process, but the Australian immigration office, managed by the federal government, denied his visa due to incomplete paperwork. To receive a vaccination exemption, one must have recovered from COVID-19 within the past six months or have a doctor's confirmation of serious side effects from vaccination.

Among players participating in the Australian Open, there are complaints that the organizers gave Djokovic special treatment to boost the tournament's popularity. The organizers denied the favoritism allegations, stating, "Twenty-six tournament officials applied for vaccination exemptions, and about 75-80% were denied."

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison supported the immigration office's decision to refuse Djokovic's entry, saying, "Rules are rules, and there are no special cases." Meanwhile, Serbian President Aleksandar Vu?i? said, "Stop the unfair treatment of the world's best tennis player," escalating the Djokovic entry issue into a dispute between the two countries' leaders.

There are also predictions that Djokovic's legal action could worsen the situation. Mary Crock, a law professor at the University of Sydney, said, "Once a visa is denied, subsequent visa applications are handled very cautiously," adding, "It is unlikely that Djokovic's claim will be accepted by the court, and if he is deported, he may be banned from entering Australia for the next three years."

The Australian newspaper The Age quoted a tournament official saying, "Djokovic returning to Serbia to obtain the correct visa might be a solution," and reported, "Although it will be a hellish journey, there is still a chance for him to participate in this year's Australian Open."

The Australian Open will begin on the 17th.

Djokovic is one of the greatest tennis players of all time, having won 20 major titles alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Being younger than Federer and Nadal, Djokovic has a high chance of securing the most major titles in the future.

Among the four major tournaments, Djokovic has been especially strong at the Australian Open. Of his 20 major titles, 9 were won at the Australian Open. Djokovic holds the record for the most Australian Open titles in history. This year, he aims to achieve 'La Decima,' winning the Australian Open for the fourth consecutive year and the 10th time overall.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.