Dubai (AP) – The Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic is on his way to Belgrade after being forced to leave Australia, according to information from the AP news agency. The 34-year-old will arrive in the capital of his home country at 12.10 p.m. on Monday, it said.
Djokovic first landed in Dubai on Monday morning. The world number one left Melbourne on Sunday evening after Australia’s federal court rejected his appeal against the visa annulment. His hopes for the tenth title at the Australian Open ended one day before the tournament started.
Djokovic, who was not vaccinated against the corona virus, wanted to take part in the Grand Slam tournament with a medical exemption, but the authorities had refused him entry.
Press comments on Djokovic’s expulsion:
Great Britain:
“The Guardian”: “It’s been a miserable week for the government, but the result shows once again that Australia’s immigration laws are as harshly written as they are applied.”
Italy:
“Corriere dello Sport”: “Djokovic, the race is over: nothing with the Australian Open.”
“La Repubblica”: “This is how the telenovela ends between the Serbian tennis champion and the Australian government. The appeal has proved the government right, which considers him a public danger because of his anti-vaccination positions, a risk to the general public.”
Spain:
‘Marca’: ‘Novak Djokovic has lost the match against the Australian government after the Australian Federal Court dismissed the Serbian tennis player’s legal representatives’ appeal seeking to overturn the visa annulment of the world number one tennis player.’
France:
“L’Équipe”: “After the disgrace of Melbourne, Novak Djokovic’s annoyance is not over. He now has to “digest” it and watch the competition rise in an unusual way.”
“Le Figaro”: “Novak Djokovic left Australia “extremely disappointed”. His already crumbling image is badly damaged because of his mistakes (in the best case) and his lies (in the worst case). If you can’t blame him can do that he refused a corona vaccination, one can say that the world number one was not behind this decision, because otherwise he would have had to voluntarily refrain from participating in the first Grand Slam tournament of the year “He had an extreme stubbornness and he couldn’t handle his communication. It was too many mistakes for a single man who already divides opinions.”
“Libération”: “The future of Djokovic’s career now depends on the following question: What role does he give himself in this whole circus? That of the resister? That of the guilty and thus that of the penitent of tomorrow? You will do it without Djokovic’s doing have to understand. He won’t say anything about it himself.”
“L’Est Républicain”: “It is simply impossible to feel sorry for Novak Djokovic’s fickle Australian fate. Djokovic has been paralyzed by his own inconsistency. The global psychodrama imposed on us by the best tennis player on the planet is ridiculous .”
Austria:
“Kronen Zeitung”: “Djokovic has had a nerve-wracking argument about entry rules that overshadowed the actual reason for his trip to Australia – namely to defend his title at the Australian Open tournament and a new record with the 21st Grand Slam title ever The affair surrounding his supposed special treatment not only damaged the image of the tennis player, but also the Australian government.”
“Kurier”: “Entering many countries will be difficult or impossible for the unvaccinated. As things stand at present, Novak Djokovic could play in Paris at the end of May. However, it is quite possible that the government in France will also gradually take stricter action against the unvaccinated. Should Djokovic leave If you also want to defend your title in Wimbledon in July, this is only possible with a mandatory, ten-day self-monitored home quarantine.”
Switzerland:
“Blick”: “In the posse about rival Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal is one of the winners. The Mallorquin can now start the attack on the Grand Slam record. But he is coming from a difficult phase.”
Poland:
“Rzeszpospolita”: “He played risky and lost”
“Gazeta Wyborcza”: “So Djokovic will not be playing at the Australian Open for the tenth time. It is not at all clear whether he will ever play at the Australian Open again, because yesterday’s court decision on expulsion is linked to an entry ban for It is also uncertain how victories will look like, because the noose around vaccination opponents is also tightening in other countries like France, and vaccination opponents who lie in the official anti-epidemic forms like Djokovic when he entered the country to Australia, bureaucratic and judicial hell awaits in many countries. Why doesn’t he just get vaccinated? Why does he prefer to lie and squirm? Why is he throwing away his dream of becoming the greatest athlete in the world?”
“Przeglad Sportowy”: “Djokovic has a difficult season ahead of him. Where will he be able to play and where will he face a fate similar to that in Australia? Obviously, a lot now depends on his decision regarding vaccination. But it is unlikely that he suddenly changes his mind. Although of course that would be the simplest solution to the majority of his problems.”
Russia:
“Kommersant”: “Novak Djokovic flew out. The tough prelude to the Australian Open ended on Sunday in Melbourne. It cost a lot of people who were directly involved with it a lot of nerves – but above all Novak Djokovic. (…) this was all about political considerations – the risk of anti-vaccination sentiment rising when someone in Australia who opposed universal vaccination at the start of the pandemic (…) Now Daniil Medvedev is the favourite of the tournament.”
“Sport-Express”: “The Serbian star and opponent of vaccination, who hung in the balance for ten days, is leaving the not at all hospitable green continent.”
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