Punch
Novak Djokovic said Sunday he was “extremely disappointed” by Australia’s decision to deport him but he would comply and leave the country.
Hours earlier, three judges at the Federal Court had unanimously dismissed the unvaccinated Serbian superstar’s last-gasp attempt to overturn the government’s cancellation of his visa.
“I respect the Court’s ruling and I will cooperate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country,” the 34-year-old world number one said in a statement on the eve of the Australian Open.
In an 11-day battle over his lack of a Covid-19 vaccine that captured global attention, the tennis ace had his visa cancelled at Melbourne airport, reinstated on a procedural issue, and then cancelled again by the government.
He spent his first few nights in Australia at a notorious Melbourne detention centre, walked free to practice on the Australian Open’s courts for several days after he won back his visa, and then was returned into detention.
“I will now be taking some time to rest and to recuperate, before making any further comments…
