Novak Djokovic has revealed that he still feels “traumatised” when he travels Down Under for the Australian Open.
Three years ago, the Serb was detained when he arrived in Melbourne for the hard-court Grand Slam as he didn’t meet the Covid vaccine requirements to enter the country at the time.
After two separate stints in a quarantine hotel, Djokovic was ultimately deported on the eve of the tournament.
Although he has since travelled to the country and even won the Australian Open after the ordeal, the world No. 7 still fears a similar incident.
Djokovic lifted the trophy when he returned to the tournament in 2023 and, last year, he made it all the way to the semi-final. The Serb is back Down Under this year as he continues his quest to make history.
He reached the quarter-final of last week’s Brisbane International and has since travelled to Melbourne for the first Grand Slam of the season. As he made the trip, Djokovic confessed he was still traumatised by his experience in 2022.
“I have (some trauma) to be quite frank,” the world No. 7 told the Herald Sun.
“The last couple of times that 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.”
During the 10-day ordeal, Djokovic was the subject of media frenzy. His visa was revoked when he landed in Melbourne but this was later overturned by a judge.
However, then-Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used his powers to cancel Djokovic’s visa again. Following a court hearing, Hawke’s decision was upheld and the 37-year-old was deported, leaving on a flight to Dubai.
Three years on, Djokovic has no hard feelings. He added: “I don’t hold any resentment to be honest. I don’t hold a grudge.
“I came like 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 that I’ve ever had considering all that I’d been through the year before.”
However, current Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese slammed the then-government’s handling of Djokovic’s case.
“I found it astonishing that in the lead-up to Christmas, Novak Djokovic was denied by the then-federal government the opportunity to see his Orthodox minister, priest during that period. That was something that I think was hard to justify,” he said on Monday.
He will now be bidding to lift the trophy at Melbourne Park for the 11th time. If Djokovic can win another Australian Open, he will make history as the only player ever to claim a total of 25 Grand Slam titles.
