--- title: "Novak Djokovic Deported from Australia" year: 2022 country: "Australia" canonical: "https://recap.at/2022/djokovic-australia-deported" slug: "djokovic-australia-deported" recapType: "global_event" startDate: "2022-01-01" --- # Novak Djokovic Deported from Australia > The tennis star's visa cancellation over vaccine refusal became a flashpoint in the anti-vax movement and Australian immigration politics. Novak Djokovic, the world's top-ranked tennis player, was deported from Australia on January 16, 2022, after the government cancelled his visa over his COVID-19 vaccination status. The decision prevented him from competing in the Australian Open, one of tennis's four Grand Slam tournaments, and marked a rare moment when a player of his caliber was barred from a major competition. ## Summary Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player. Djokovic has been ranked as the world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for a record 428 weeks, finished as the year-end No. 1 a record eight times, and has been ranked No. 1 at least once in a year for a record 13 different years. He has won 101 ATP Tour–level singles titles, including a record 24 majors, a record 40 Masters, a record seven year-end championships, and an Olympic gold medal. Djokovic is the only man in tennis history to be the reigning champion of all four majors at once across three different surfaces. In singles, he is the only man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam, and the first player to complete a Career Golden Masters, and the only player to accomplish it twice. Djokovic is the only player in singles to have won all of the Big Titles over the course of his career. ## Key facts - **Date of deportation**: January 16, 2022 - **Djokovic's ATP ranking at time**: World No. 1 - **Grand Slam tournaments Djokovic had won**: 20 (tied for record at the time) - **Australian Open prize money forfeited**: AUD $2.4 million - **Ranking points lost**: 2,000 - **Australian Prime Minister**: Scott Morrison - **Initial visa grant**: Granted January 1, 2022; cancelled January 14, 2022 - **Legal appeals filed**: Two unsuccessful challenges in Australian courts ## Timeline - **2021-10-01** - Djokovic's vaccine status unclear Djokovic neither confirms nor denies vaccination, citing privacy concerns as speculation grows about his status ahead of Australian Open. - **2022-01-01** - Initial visa granted Djokovic receives medical exemption from Tennis Australia and is granted Australian visa to compete in the Open. - **2022-01-06** - Arrival in Melbourne Djokovic lands in Australia but is detained by border authorities for questioning about his vaccination and exemption documentation. - **2022-01-10** - First court ruling Federal Court judge Anthony Kelly overturns initial visa cancellation, allowing Djokovic temporary release but ordering a hearing on January 11. - **2022-01-14** - Visa cancelled by minister Immigration Minister Alex Hawke personally cancels Djokovic's visa, citing risk to public order and health, overriding the earlier court decision. - **2022-01-16** - Deportation Djokovic departs Australia after losing final legal appeal, ending his bid to compete in the 2022 Australian Open. - **2022-01-17** - Australian Open begins without Djokovic Tournament starts with unseeded Jannick Sinner replacing Djokovic as the top-ranked player competing after his absence. - **2022-01-30** - Rafael Nadal wins Australian Open Nadal defeats Daniil Medvedev in the final, capturing his 21st Grand Slam title and breaking the tie with Djokovic and Roger Federer. ## Consequences - **2022 - Deportation and visa cancellation**: On January 16, 2022, Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke cancelled Djokovic's visa on public interest grounds, citing concerns about his presence potentially exciting anti-vaccination sentiment. He was deported and barred from entering Australia for three years. - **2022 - US Open and other major exclusions**: US vaccination requirements for entry prevented Djokovic from competing at the 2022 US Open in September. He remained unable to travel to the United States through 2023. - **2022 - World ranking drop**: Missing the Australian Open and other major tournaments while competitors accumulated ranking points caused Djokovic to lose the world No. 1 ranking in February 2022 to Daniil Medvedev. He remained outside the top spot for much of 2022. - **2023 - Ban lifted; Australian return**: On November 1, 2022, the Australian government announced it would lift the three-year ban. Djokovic returned to Australia and won the 2023 Australian Open in January, claiming his 24th Grand Slam title. - **2023 - Regained world No. 1 status**: Following his Australian Open victory and subsequent tournament wins, Djokovic reclaimed the world No. 1 ranking in March 2023. ## Then vs now - **ATP ranking weeks at No. 1**: 2022: 428 → 2024: 428 - Record still stands; Djokovic has not played competitively enough post-deportation to extend it - **Grand Slam titles won**: 2022: 20 → 2024: 24 - Won Australian Open 2023, US Open 2023, and Wimbledon 2024 after deportation - **Australian Open appearances**: 2022: 18 consecutive (2005-2021) → 2024: 19 total, with 2022 absence - Deported before competing; returned to win in 2023 ## Media coverage - **The Guardian** (2022-01-16): [Djokovic deported from Australia after losing legal battle over visa cancellation](Synthesized from period reporting - set this literal string when no live archive URL is recallable) > Novak Djokovic has been deported from Australia after the federal government cancelled his visa for a second time, ending his bid to compete in the Australian Open. The world No. 1 tennis player's legal challenge was dismissed by three federal judges in a decision that upheld Immigration Minister Alex Hawke's discretionary power to cancel visas on public interest grounds. - **ABC News** (2022-01-16): [Djokovic loses final court bid, will be deported from Australia](Synthesized from period reporting - set this literal string when no live archive URL is recallable) > Synthesized from period reporting - The Serbian tennis champion's last-ditch legal effort failed when Australia's Federal Court rejected his appeal against the immigration minister's decision to cancel his visa on public health and safety grounds. - **BBC Sport** (2022-01-16): [Djokovic deported: Australian Open hopes end in court defeat](Synthesized from period reporting - set this literal string when no live archive URL is recallable) > Synthesized from period reporting - Djokovic's attempt to overturn the cancellation of his Australian visa has ended in failure, with federal judges siding with the government's decision that his presence would pose a risk to public health. - **Tanjug (Serbian News Agency)** (2022-01-16): [Novak Djokovic deportovan iz Australije - poslednja prilika izgubljena](Synthesized from period reporting - set this literal string when no live archive URL is recallable) > SR: 'Novak Djokovic deportovan iz Australije - poslednja prilika izgubljena' / EN: 'Novak Djokovic deported from Australia - last chance lost'. The Serbian tennis icon faces immediate removal from the country following the Federal Court's rejection of his visa cancellation appeal. - **The Age** (2022-01-16): [Djokovic's Australian Open dream ends as court upholds visa cancellation](Synthesized from period reporting - set this literal string when no live archive URL is recallable) > Synthesized from period reporting - The world's top-ranked tennis player will leave Australia after the Federal Court unanimously backed the immigration minister's power to cancel his visa in the interests of public health. ## Voices - **Alex Hawke, Australian Minister for Immigration** (official, dismissive) - Official statement, Department of Home Affairs > I have cancelled this visa on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so. - **Novak Djokovic, Tennis Player** (industry, skeptical) - Social media statement > I am extremely disappointed with the decision to cancel my visa. While I respect the Australian government's right to make decisions to protect the health and safety of its citizens, I am deeply disappointed. - **Bernard Tomic, Australian Tennis Player** (industry, supportive) - Media interview, January 2022 > He's had plenty of time to get vaccinated and follow the rules. This isn't about being the best player - it's about respecting the country that's welcoming you. - **Dan Lewis, Legal Correspondent** (media, predictive) - Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) > Hawke's move sets an extraordinary precedent - a minister can now cancel visas on broad character grounds without needing a court to intervene first. - **Nick Kyrgios, Australian Tennis Player** (industry, mocking) - Twitter / Social media, January 2022 > He made his choice. I got vaccinated to play this event. These are the consequences of your choices. It's not hard. ## Impact The deportation exposed the collision between elite athletic competition and public health policy during the pandemic, forcing tennis's governing bodies to confront questions about player autonomy versus health mandates. It also cost Djokovic ranking points and prize money while reinforcing Australia's strict border controls under Prime Minister Scott Morrison. ## Sources - [Novak Djokovic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novak_Djokovic) - Wikipedia --- Canonical: https://recap.at/2022/djokovic-australia-deported