Doubles star Renata Voracova’s suffers Novak Djokovic hotel detention fate

A second tennis star heading for the Australian Open has suffered the same fate as Novak Djokovic after her visa was cancelled.

Renata Voracova at the Fuzion 100 Southsea Trophy in 2018. Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images for LTA

Czech doubles star Renata Voracova has reportedly suffered a similar fate as Novak Djokovic after her visa was cancelled and she was detained in the same hotel as the Serbian World No. 1.

Voracova, the 38-year-old world No. 80 doubles player, had already played an Australian Open warm up event in Melbourne. The world’s top 104 players automatically gain entry to a Grand Slam event.

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But reports emerged on Friday night that she had seen her visa cancelled was being detained by Border Force officials at the Park Hotel in Carlton.

Voracova had used the same reason as Djokovic, which was believed to be a “natural immunity” having contracted Covid in the past six months.

The ABC reports it remains unclear whether she will leave the country immediately or protest the decision in court.

The Age also reported that the Border Force were “pursuing a third Australian Open participant, an official, who entered using the same vaccine exemption”.

The reported continues that the Victorian Health Department and an expert Tennis Australia panel granted the exemptions because of the confusion around the prior infection warranting an exemption.

Also on Friday, News Corp revealed a leaked emailed information sheet for unvaccinated players from Tennis Australia to the ATP. The document had a two-step process for players to follow, and included a clause which suggested players would need to prove they had contracted the virus in the past six months.

However, this information was incorrect and was sent after the Federal Government notified Tennis Australia in November that prior infection did not meet the requirements.

Renata Voracova at the Fuzion 100 Southsea Trophy in 2018. Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images for LTA

Journalist and Australian researcher at Human Rights Watch Sophie McNeill tweeted: “This is shocking mismanagement by the tournament & the federal government. How were policies not made clear?”

The experienced Voracova has claimed 11 WTA doubles titles in her career and has a highest ranking of 29 in the world in 2017. However she won the 2001 French Open girls doubles title alongside Petra Cetkovska.

Her best finish in a Grand Slam was the 2017 Wimbledon semi-final but has never made it past the second round at Melbourne Park.

The Djokovic saga has dominated the tennis world over the past few months after the Serbian star refused to reveal his vaccination status.

But an Instagram post in which he said he had received “exemption permission” quickly spiralled into an international incident as Djokovic’s visa was denied at the border.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed Djokovic didn’t have a medical exemption from vaccine requirements, and that he’d offered “insufficient” evidence that he deserved one.

Djokovic is now in a notorious hotel while he and his legal team fight for his chance to play for his 10th Australian Open and record 21st Grand Slam title.

This is despite a diplomatic furore emerging as the Serbian government rages over the decision, claiming Djokovic was “lured to travel to Australia in order to be humiliated”.

Djokovic and refugee advocates have been outside the detention hotel.

The Park Hotel in Carlton. Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

In the crowd of about 50 people that gathered for a second day of protest on Friday, some displayed larger-than-life posters of the star while others held anti-vaccine placards and another group called “Grandmothers for Refugees” voiced support for detained migrants.

Draped in flags and playing nationalistic songs, some Serbians celebrated Orthodox Christmas Day at the protest.

“He’s our blood, we are supporting our nation. He’s not getting a Christmas and is stuck in a detention centre,” Djokovic supporter Tara Aksentijevic said.

Fellow fan Sash Aleksic echoed the views of some anti-government protesters in the crowd who oppose Australia’s Covid-19 policies.

“Our human rights have gone out the window... and they (are) using the medical excuses.” One man held up an anti-vaccine poster that read: “Free the Novax legend”. In retaliation against the anti-vaccine protesters, a group named the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (CARF) arrived, showing support for asylum seekers.

“Because of his wealth and status, Novak was almost able to bypass the important public health measure. The refugees are innocent and Djokovic isn’t,” said 27-year-old Zak Borzovoy of CARF.

Djokovic supporters attempted to confront the group, but police intervened, forming a line to separate them.

A court is set to hear his legal challenge against his visa cancellation on Monday.

Protesters outside where Novak Djokovic is being held in immigration detention. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Novak Djokovic will be heard on Monday. Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Officially known as an “alternative place of detention”, the Melbourne facility is home to around 32 migrants who are trapped in Australia’s hardline immigration system.

It is believed the world’s top tennis player is among them, although border authorities have refused to confirm where Djokovic is detained.

Detainees cannot leave and nobody is allowed in or out except staff.

The building, which was previously the Park Hotel, was graffitied with the slogan “free them all” by refugee supporters on Thursday night, when two people were arrested as police tried to clear the area.

A detainee had stuck up a sign reading “I am looking for my freedom” on one of the windows.

In the mishmash of messages outside the detention centre, hovering between the megaphones and flags, one person held up a somewhat incongruent poster, embellished with three red hearts, that read: “Free hugs”.

The centre gained notoriety last year when a fire in the building forced refugees and asylum seekers to be evacuated, and maggots were allegedly found in the food.

Detainee Mehdi Ali told AFP on Thursday that Djokovic is his favourite tennis player, and that he was saddened by the prospect of the star being held there.

“The media will talk about us more, the whole world probably, which is so sad, just because Djokovic would be here for a few days,” he said.

— with AFP