Novak Djokovic says Covid deportation ‘trauma’ still haunts him when entering Australia | Tennis News

Novak Djokovic admitted that he still feels ‘trauma’ when visiting Melbourne after being deported three years ago for attempting to enter Australia on a medical exemption for the Covid-19 vaccine, an attempt that was denied the Australian border authorities.
At the time, Australia was not allowing people into the country without a valid vaccination certificate or a medical exemption from the vaccine. Djokovic, who has in the past spoken about his aversion to vaccinations, believed that a prior contracting and recovery of Covid, would stand as a medical exemption. The incident caused quite an outcry with Djokovic detained for five days in a hotel in Carlton, and then asked to leave the country.
Miner for Health and Aged Care GregHunt said at the time that Djokovic’s medical exemption “wasn’t valid”. “The rules are very clear. People can enter if they’re vaccinated or if they have a medical exemption. He didn’t have that… Prior infection is not a valid medical exemption.”
In an interview with the Herald Sun, the 37-year-old spoke about the incident that caused international headlines and said that there was still trauma everytime he approached passport control.
“I have (some trauma) to be quite frank,” Djokovic began. “The last couple of times that I landed in Australia, to go through passport control and immigration — I had a bit of trauma from three years ago. And some traces still stay there when I’m passing passport control, just checking out if someone from immigration zone is approaching. The person checking my passport — are they going to take me, detain me again or let me go? I must admit I have that feeling.”
Djokovic returned to Melbourne the following year and won his 22nd Slam.

“I don’t hold any resentment to be honest,” Djokovic said. “I don’t hold a grudge. I came right away the year after in 2023 … and I won the Australian Open — it was my 22nd slam. My parents and whole team were there, and it was actually one of the most emotional wins that I’ve ever had considering all that I’d been through the year before.”

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