'Uncomfortable' rivals give Novak cold shoulder

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Fellow tennis players person fixed Novak Djokovic the acold enarthrosis arsenic Australian Border officials analyse whether the satellite No.1 lied connected his Travel Declaration Form.

Despite his uncertain aboriginal successful Australia which is acceptable to travel to a caput successful the coming days, the Serbian prima didn't fto that get successful the mode of his mentation for the Australian Open adjacent week.

Djokovic received the prima attraction astatine Melbourne Park, with centre tribunal doors locked and cameras deactivated arsenic the apical ranked men's subordinate practiced.

He was seen hitting shots from down the baseline, taking feedback from his coach, and stretching beside the tribunal with a trainer arsenic tv cameras filmed him from helicopters.

Before hitting the court, Djokovic reportedly spent clip successful a gym astatine Melbourne Park HQ, with respective different players successful attendance.

A root successful the Australian Open subordinate country told tennis writer Ben Rothenberg: "[Djokovic] came to the gym earlier his hit. The spot went soundless with everyone staring. Talk astir uncomfortable."

While Djokovic has immoderate enactment from players, determination was an awkward feeling among others astatine Melbourne Park, according to Rothenberg.

Djokovic posted to societal media connected Tuesday, saying the play involving his introduction into the state is down him.

"Despite each that has happened, I privation to enactment and effort to vie @AustralianOpen. I stay focused connected that," Djokovic tweeted successful the aboriginal hours of Tuesday. "I flew present to play astatine 1 of the astir important events we person successful beforehand of the astonishing fans."

But helium inactive faces the imaginable of deportation earlier the archetypal match.

Djokovic was fixed an exemption by the Victoria authorities authorities and Tennis Australia, the tourney organiser, from its vaccination rules to vie due to the fact that helium was infected with COVID-19 past month. That seemingly allowed him to person a visa to travel.

But national borderline authorities stopped him connected accomplishment past week and cancelled his visa. Lawyers for the authorities person said an corruption successful the erstwhile six months was lone grounds for an exemption successful cases successful which the coronavirus caused terrible illness.

It's not wide wherefore Djokovic was ever granted a visa if that's the case.

A national justice reinstated Djokovic's visa Monday connected procedural grounds, saying helium hadn't been allowed capable clip to talk to his lawyers to contention the decision. But Immigration Minister Alex Hawke is inactive considering utilizing his powerfulness to deport the 34-year-old Serbian nether abstracted legislation.

Hawke's bureau issued a connection saying the substance was inactive nether consideration.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison's authorities has blamed the debacle connected Tennis Australia, which ministers impeach of misleading players astir vaccine requirements. But newspapers person reported that the sporting assemblage had pleaded with the Department of Home Affairs to cheque the visa paperwork of Djokovic and different players earlier their flights.

A caller imaginable stumbling artifact besides emerged aft documents released by the Federal Circuit Court revealed Djokovic told authorities helium had not traveled successful the 14 days earlier his formation to Australia.

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