Novak Djokovic suffers ‘traumatic stress’ on each return to Melbourne after his Covid deportation
Novak Djokovic says he suffers traumatic experiences whenever he returns to Melbourne after being deported over his refusal to reveal his Covid vaccination status three years ago.
Ten-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has revealed he suffers traumatic experiences whenever he returns to Melbourne after being detained by Australian Border Force officers and eventually deported over his refusal to reveal his Covid vaccination status three years ago.
Djokovic, 37, said he had mixed feelings about the Victorian capital, which became known as the Covid lockdown capital of the world, after the way he was treated in 2022.
“I have to be quite frank,’’ Djokovic said in an interview. “The last couple of times I landed in Australia, to go through passport control and immigration – I had a bit of trauma from three years ago. And some traces still stay there when I’m passing passport control, just checking out if someone from immigration zone is approaching.
“The person checking my passport – are they going to take me, detain me again or let me go? I must admit I have that feeling.’’
Djokovic, ranked No.7 in the world, will bid for a 25th grand slam singles title in Melbourne this month.
In 2022, he arrived in Australia with a medical exemption granted by government authorities on the basis he had recently contracted Covid but was deported by then Coalition immigration minister Alex Hawke. The Morrison government cited concerns that Djokovic’s presence in Australia could cause “civil unrest” and inflame anti-vaxxer sentiment as reasons for deporting him.
Despite his reservations about Australian officialdom, Djokovic said in the interview he held Melbourne crowds close to his heart.
“I don’t hold any resentment, to be honest,’’ he told the Herald Sun. “I don’t hold a grudge. I came right away the year after in 2023 … and I won the Australian Open – it was my 22nd slam.
“My parents and whole team were there and it was actually one of the most emotional wins I’ve ever had considering all that I’d been through the year before.’’
Djokovic, who holds a record number of grand slam singles titles, still has an eye on making more history after claiming the gold medal at the Paris Olympics last year. He failed to win any grand slam or ATP Tour titles
“I just hope to, before I retire, get at least one more title there and that is the goal,’’ he said. “And so I look forward to it. I love playing in Rod Laver Arena, the atmosphere is so good – summer time – people love their sport in Melbourne and so I should look forward to going there.’’
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