Ahead Australian Open: Djokovic wins appeal but could still be deported
Nadal described the decision as “totally correct”
World tennis number one Novak Djokovic is still facing the prospect of deportation despite winning an appeal against a decision to refuse him a visa in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia ahead of the Australian Open.
Judge Anthony Kelly quashed the visa cancellation and ordered the Australian Government to pay legal costs and release Djokovic from detention within half an hour.
But Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke is still considering whether to exercise a personal power of cancellation of Djokovic’s visa in a process that could drag on for a number of days.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal says ‘justice has spoken’ in Novak Djokovic case, but jokes ‘I’d much rather he didn’t play
Nadal believes the debate around vaccinations has developed into a “circus”, but he is pleased that justice was served in Djokovic visa cancellation case.
Nadal was asked for his thoughts about the outcome of the Melbourne court case on Spain’s radio Onda Cero and replied: “Whether or not I agree with Djokovic on some things, justice has spoken and has said that he has the right to participate in the Australian Open and I think it is the fairest decision to do so, if it has been resolved that way. I wish him the best of luck.”
The 20-time Grand Slam winner then joked: “On a personal level, I’d much rather he didn’t play.
“Its sports, many interests move around it, on a general level, at an economic, advertising level. Everything is much better when the best can be playing.”
However, Nadal has remained consistent about his views on vaccination against Covid-19 as he insists he trusts scientists around the world.
He added: “The most important institutions in the world say that the vaccine is the way to stop this pandemic and the disaster that we have been living for the last 20 months.”
The Spaniard also took aim against those who are creating a “circus” about vaccinations.
“I just try to follow what the people who know better say, the debate that is generated around it is a circus,” he said.
“But one thing is clear: no matter how much debate is generated, there are millions of deaths in the world due to a virus. That is a reality.”
