Djokovic breaks silence in Australian hotel, thanks his fans

Embattled tennis star Novak Djokovic broke his silence on Friday after three days in an Australian immigration centre to thank his fans, as a second tennis player was named as having broken Covid vaccination rules.

The men’s top-seeded player was joined at a Melbourne hotel that serves as a detention centre by the female doubles player Renata Voracova, 38, who is set to leave the country after her visa was revoked.

Speaking to media in her native Czech Republic, Voracova described her detention as “very unpleasant”.

Men in plainclothes with the police came for me and deported me to the local detention hotel,” she said. “You don’t expect anything like this to meet you here.”

Djokovic also posted his first message thanking supporters on his official Instagram page after his treatment prompted protests from his family and fans in his native Serbia.

“Thank you people around the world for your continuous support. I can feel it and it is greatly appreciated,” he wrote.

Another message, in Serbian, wished followers a happy Christmas in reference to the Orthodox festival, celebrated on Friday.

“God’s peace. Christ is born. Happy Christmas. May God’s love invigorate and fulfil you all,” he wrote.

It came as a leaked letter that revealed that unvaccinated tennis players were told they could attend the Australian Open provided they had recovered from Covid within the past six months.

Guidance sent to players in early December and now leaked to the press lays out reasons that athletes could qualify for a ‘medical exemption’ to enter Australia, saying that “recently recovered cases” would be allowed into the country.

To qualify, players were told to provide a Covid-positive PCR test dated after July 31 along with antibody tests proving natural immunity “if available”.

Border guards at Melbourne airport refused to accept Djokovic’s claims that he was exempt from having to be vaccinated for Covid-19 when he arrived late on Wednesday and moved to deport him. The player’s lawyers have appealed against the decision claiming he had been told by Tennis Australia that he had a valid exemption.

Meanwhile, Djokovic is likely to be refused entry to further tournaments this season if he does not meet the increasing number of Covid-19 vaccine requirements being introduced across the world.

Rafael Nadal, his long-time rival, said that he “did not like the situation” Djokovic was in, but added that there were “consequences” for his decision to seek an exemption from the Australian Open’s vaccine requirement.

Although border rules differ from country to country, more tournaments are set to demand that players must present a valid vaccination certificate to enter.

It is understood that players have been told to expect this rule to be in place in the United States at Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March, while the hardline stance of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, on those who are unvaccinated is likely to result in similar arrangements at the French Open in May, where Djokovic is the defending champion. No decision has been made by Wimbledon organisers.