Defending men's champion Serbia's Novak Djokovic practices on Margaret Court Arena ahead of the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Mark Baker / AP
No title defense for No. 1: Djokovic deported from Australia
By John Pye/AP
Mark Baker / AP
Defending men's champion Serbia's Novak Djokovic practices on Margaret Court Arena ahead of the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. AP Photo/Mark Baker)
(Melbourne, Australia) — Novak Djokovic was being deported rather than playing his first-round Australian Open match on Monday.
The nine-time and defending champion was scheduled to play a night match on Day 1 in a program announced on Sunday while Djokovic was still in legal limbo.
Three judges in the Federal Court later upheld the immigration minister’s decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa.
The Australian government revoked Djokovic’s visa on Friday due to issues surrounding his stance against COVID-19 vaccination.
He’d been drawn to play fellow Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round.
Under Grand Slam regulations Djokovic was replaced by a so-called “lucky loser” because he withdrew after the order of play was released.
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