‘Extremely disappointed’, Djokovic reacts to his deportation

World number one tennis player, Novak Djokovic won’t be able to defend his Australian Open after being deported.

The deportation occurred after it was unanimously agreed his visa to Australia would be cancelled.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion issued a brief statement shortly after it was announced he had lost his appeal at the Federal Court, just before 6 pm on Sunday.

The tennis superstar said he was ‘extremely disappointed with the court ruling and said he would be taking some time to rest and recuperate.

Justice Allsop earlier said he accepted Djokovic could be seen as ‘an iconic sports star that is setting an example that is not ideal to be followed’.

‘If Mr Djokovic won the Open, as he has in the past, there is an example embedded in the Minister’s reasoning that this is an example for young and not so young fans of tennis.’

The government did not indicate whether they would take up the option to prevent Djokovic from applying for a visa to enter Australia for the next three years.

In a show of love, over 83,000 people turned in to the Federal Court live stream of the proceedings by 11 am to watch the showdown.

Responding to Djokovic’s argument deporting him would cause havoc – with riots and protests expected in the streets of Melbourne, the government lawyers said they would not be deterred based on the fear of public backlash.

They insist he poses an ‘overwhelming risk’ to the Australian public. This, they said was demonstrated by his decision to ignore safety measures in his home country and attend work obligations while knowingly infected with Covid-19.

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‘I am extremely disappointed with the Court ruling to dismiss my application for judicial review of the Minister’s decision to cancel my visa, which means I cannot stay in Australia and participate in the Australian Open,’ the statement read.

‘I respect the Court’s ruling and I will cooperate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country.

‘I am uncomfortable that the focus of the past weeks has been on me and I hope that we can all now focus on the game and tournament I love,” he said.

While wishing all the players, tournament officials, staff, volunteers and fans the best in the upcoming Grand Slam due to kick off in less than 24 hours, he extends his appreciation to families, fans and friends.

‘Finally, I would like to thank my family, friends, team, supporters, fans and my fellow Serbians for your continued support,’ the player concluded.

‘You have all been a great source of strength to me.’