Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has left the door open for Novak Djokovic to compete at next year’s Australian Open despite the Serb facing an automatic three-year ban from entering the country after having his visa application cancelled.
Novak Djokovic has been deported from Australia after losing a last-ditch court bid to stay in the country.
Judges in the country rejected a challenge by the unvaccinated tennis star after the government cancelled his visa on “health and good order” grounds.
Djokovic said he was “extremely disappointed” but accepted the ruling. He has left on a flight to Dubai.
It marks the end of a 10-day saga, in which the Serb fought to stay to defend his title in the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic had his visa to enter Australia cancelled for a second time for the tournament that has begun on Monday in Melbourne. The Serb is level on 20 Grand Slam titles with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Under immigration law, Djokovic cannot be granted another visa for three years unless Australia’s immigration minister accepts there are compelling or compassionate reasons.
“[The ban] does go over a three-year period, but there is the opportunity for them to return in the right circumstances and that would be considered at the time,” Scott Morrison said in an interview on Monday.
Djokovic had been scheduled to play later in the day – but his dramatic deportation just hours before ended his hopes of winning a record 21st Grand Slam title at the event.
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Novak Djokovic is hopeful he could be allowed to play in the Australian Open in January despite being deported and banned from the country earlier this year
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Novak Djokovic says he has been given 'positive signs' that he will be able to play the Australian Open in 2023 - despite being under a three-year visa ban from entering the country.
The unjabbed Serb arrived in Melbourne to play the tournament last January only to ultimately be deported due to his vaccination status.
Djokovic was kicked out for his potential to cause 'civil unrest' and his status as a 'talisman of anti-vaccination sentiment' - but claims these assertions were made on an 'unofficial' basis.
And now the 35-year-old expects confirmation in 'the next few weeks' as to be whether he will be allowed to play at Melbourne Park in the new year.
Djokovic arrived Down Under at the start of this year as world No.1 and believed he had been granted the exemption he needed to be able to play in the Grand Slam without being vaccinated against Covid-19.
But he was held at a detention hostel as his visa was cancelled by the Australian Border Force before he was ultimately deported and the three-year visa ban was issued.
Djokovic subsequently also missed the US Open but did play at Wimbledon where he won his 21st Grand Slam.
The Serb has previously won the Australian Open on nine occasions and has lifted the lid on the potential for making that 10 in just a few months.
He told Sportal: "When it comes to Australia, there are some positive signs, but unofficially. We are communicating through my lawyers in Australia. In fact, they are communicating with the authorities in charge of my case.
Djokovic is hopeful he will be able to play at the Australian Open [ Image:
"I hope to have an answer in the next few weeks - whatever that answer might be, but of course I am hoping for a positive one - so that I have enough time to prepare for the start of the season, if that start is going to happen in Australia.
"I really want to go there, I am over what happened this year and I just want to play tennis, it is what I do best.
"Australia has always been the place where I have played my best tennis, the results speak for themselves, so I am always extra motivated to go there. This time even more so. I am hoping for a positive answer."
Djokovic has still not been vaccinated against Covid and added: "For the choices I made, I knew there would be certain consequences like not going to America.
"For Australia it was a different case, I had the exception, but in the end it did not work out. We know what happened, let's not go back.
"This time I am waiting for the permission again. It is a good thing that they have now opened the borders for the unvaccinated foreigners travelling to Australia.
"I have that ban, I hope it will be lifted. As I said, it is not in my hands, I hope the people in the Australian Government will give a positive answer, that is all."
Since Djokovic was deported and banned from Australia in January, the country's immigration minister has changed, with Alex Hawke being replaced by Andrew Giles.
Giles could grant the World No.7 an exemption, but former home affairs chief Karen Andrews said that would be a 'slap in the face' for Australians who abided by Covid protocols for two years.
"It was a very interesting year, peculiar,' Djokovic added. "I always strive to draw positive things from whatever the experience is, that is part of my character and my approach to life.
"I know that everything that happened in Australia and afterwards - the way people have treated me, which did not feel nice and it is something I have never experienced before in my life - has helped me to learn some valuable lessons.
"Lessons about myself, about life and about the way I should move on in this world, especially in the tennis ecosystem."