Tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic is still focused on defending his Australian Open title and winning a record-breaking 21st men's grand slam tournament but the road to Melbourne has been bumpy and the path is not yet clear.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
October/November - Djokovic applies for a temporary visa to enter Australia and compete in the 2022 Australian Open.
November 18 - Granted a Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa.
December 14 - Attends a basketball match in Belgrade, Serbia, where attendees contract COVID-19.
December 16 - Djokovic is "tested and diagnosed" with COVID-19. Documents show he was tested at 1.05pm and the result was returned at 8.19pm.
December 17 - Attends events in Belgrade, including a trophy presentation for junior tennis players. Pictured not wearing a mask and posing side-by-side indoors with a large group of children.
December 18 - Djokovic says he learned of the positive test and cancelled several scheduled events. Goes ahead with an interview and photoshoot with French newspaper L'Equipe, saying he felt "obliged" because "I didn't want to let the journalist down".
December 22 - Returns a negative PCR test.
December 25 - Filmed by a fan playing tennis on a street in Belgrade. He is also photographed alongside Serbian handball player Petar Djordjic.
December 30 - Tennis Australia notify Djokovic he has been granted a temporary medical exemption, allowing him to play in the Australian Open despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19. The exemption was granted on the basis of a previous infection, based on the opinion of one panel of medical experts and reviewed by another.
December 31 - Filmed training at a tennis academy in Sotogrande, Spain. The academy post photos on its Instagram of him posing for pictures with fans a day later.
January 1 - Authorises his agent to complete his Australian Travel Declaration. The document says Djokovic had not travelled in the 14 days prior to his intended arrival in Australia. Later admits the form contained an error in not acknowledging his travel between Serbia and Spain. Djokovic said his agent was notified by the Department of Home Affairs that the declaration had been assessed and he met the requirements for a quarantine-free arrival.
January 2 - Granted a border travel permit by the Victorian government.
January 4 - Announces on Instagram he is "heading Down Under with an exemption". The post was made shortly before he departed for Melbourne, via Dubai. News of his impending arrival sparks controversy in Australia.
January 5 - Arrives in Melbourne at 11.30pm.
January 6 - Australian Border Force officials detain Djokovic. After a series of early morning interviews his visa is cancelled at 7.29am. His lawyers are granted a temporary injunction by the Federal Circuit Court. Djokovic is taken to the Park Hotel, which is being used as an immigration detention centre.
January 7 - Spends Orthodox Christmas in his hotel room.
January 10 - After a lengthy hearing, a judge quashes the government's decision to cancel Djokovic's visa after lawyers concede the decision was unreasonable in the circumstances. Judge Anthony Kelly rules Djokovic be paid his costs and freed from immigration detention. Government lawyers note Immigration Minister Alex Hawke still has a personal power to revoke Djokovic's visa.
January 11 - Djokovic posts a photo of himself training at Rod Laver Arena. "Despite all that has happened in the past week, I want to stay and to try to compete at the Australian Open," he says. Questions are raised over his Australian Travel Declaration after documents released by the court revealed he answered "no" to the question about travel in the 14 days before his arrival.
January 12 - Posts a statement on Instagram to correct "continuing misinformation". He admits knowingly going through with the L'Equipe interview while positive for COVID-19. He also apologises for the "administrative mistake" on the travel declaration. Mr Hawke's office say the minister is still considering whether to exercise his power to revoke Djokovic's visa.
Australian Associated Press
