Novak Djokovic’s father accuses Australian officials of holding a tennis star in prison for visa problems

Novak Djokovic’s father has accused Australian authorities of holding the 20-time Grand Slam championship “in captivity”.

The visa applied for does not allow a medical exemption similar to the one Serbi has received to compete in the Australian Open as an unvaccinated player.

And his father, who remained in Europe, has now hinted that the protests could be immediate if Djokovic is not released.

“I have no idea what’s going on,” Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, told Serbian media. “They have been holding my son for five hours.

“If they don’t let him go in half an hour, we’ll meet on the street.

“This is a battle for everyone.”

Djokovic’s coach, former Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic, posted a picture of the airport on Instagram several hours after the party arrived and described its text: “Not the most common trip Down Under.”

All Australian Open players and staff must be vaccinated or exempted due to strict border control regulations in the state of Victoria.

Victorian state government officials have said they are formally refusing to support Djokovic’s visa application, and it remains unclear why Serbia, defending the championship in the first Grand Slam of the tennis calendar, has been released.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged Djokovic to provide “acceptable evidence that he cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons”.

Morrison continued, “If the evidence is insufficient, he will not be treated differently from anyone else and will be home on the next plane.”

“There should be no special rules for Novak Djokovic. Nothing.”

The Australian Open is scheduled to begin on January 17th.

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