Fiasco, humiliation, disproportionate proportions… The reactions fuse this Sunday noon, after the decision of the Australian justice. The Federal Court finally rejected Novak Djokovic’s appeal against the cancellation of his visa. The tennis champion will therefore be expelled because he is not vaccinated against Covid-19. The world number 1 will therefore not be able to participate in the Australian Open and will quickly leave the country, after a soap opera that will have lasted ten days.
Measured support from tennis professionals
The big loser is not Novak Djokovic, it’s the tournament, say many tennis professionals this Sunday. But the support for Djokovic himself remains quite measured.
In France, Paul-Henri Mathieu, responsible for the high level within the French Tennis Federation, recognizes a “quite harsh treatment towards Novak Djokovic” and that his absence from the tournament was “disappointing for everyone“. For Julien Benneteau, another French tennis player and currently in Melbourne as captain of the French Fed Cup team: “It’s a real blow for him, for his image” he declared on France Info, before adding “As Nadal said, he knew the rules. To have no problem, you have to be vaccinated”.
On Twitter, the French player, Alizée Cornet, gave more frank support to the world number 1, but it is one of the only ones this Sunday morning. “I don’t know enough about the case to judge, but what I know of Novak is that he is always the first to support us players, but none of us supported him. Be strong @DjokerNole”.
Djokovic is also co-founder of the PTPA, a players’ union, with Vasek Pospisil. On Twitter, he strongly defended the Serbian player “Novak would never have gone to Australia if he hadn’t been given an exemption to enter that country by the government. He would have skipped the Australian Open, stayed home with his family and nobody would have made a fuss of it. There were political issues behind it with an election approaching (in Australia).”
Still on Twitter, the coaches of Serena Williams, Patrick Mouratoglou, and Stan Wawrinka Daniel Vallverdu also reacted, calling especially for “turn the page”.
Finally, Andy Murray, former world number one, simply regretted: “it’s not good for the tournament because it would be better if all the best players could participate” hoping that this “soap opera is well and truly over”.
Deeply regrettable events for the ATP
The ATP simply took note of the Australian decision. For the players’ association, the expulsion of Djokovic from Australia “puts an end to a series of deeply regrettable events”. In her press release, she believes that “the decisions of the judicial authorities in matters of public health must be respected” but takes time to “learn the lessons” of this case. On the Australian side, the Australian Tennis Federation (Tennis Australia) soberly affirmed “respect” the court decision.
Political reactions in Serbia and Australia
While the Minister of Immigration, spearhead of the showdown with the tennis champion, on the contrary welcomed this decision. For Alex Hawke, “Australia’s strong border protection policy has kept us safe during the pandemic” he said, a few months before major elections in Australia [élections législatives et sénatoriales fédérales prévue fin juin 2022 NDLR].
With the Djokovic fiasco, Australia “humbled herself”, for his part, attacked the Serbian president to the local press. “They think that with these ten days of mistreatment they have humiliated Djokovic, but they have humiliated themselves. Djokovic can return to his country with his head held high and look everyone straight in the eye” promises Aleksandar Vucic.