"I have, to be quite frank": Novak Djokovic admits still having 'trauma' after being deported from Australia in 2022

Former world number one Novak Djokovic has revealed that he still has some trauma left after being deported from Australia a few years back. The 37-year-old is regarded as the greatest player in the history of men’s tennis in the singles category, having won as many as 24 Grand Slam titles.

Djokovic is famous not only for his heroics on the court but also because he has a unique perspective on a lot of things off the court. His point of view against the COVID-19 vaccination got him a lot of positive and negative attention. He was even deported from Australia after failing to prove that he was vaccinated before arriving in Australia in 2022.

Djokovic, who is now set to feature in the Australian Open in 2025, has been recently quoted in a report where he talked about still having some trauma left after being deported from the country. The Belgrade-born star, who holds the record for most Grand Slams in Australia, further went on to state that he has no grudge against anyone.

“I have [some trauma] to be quite frank,” he said. “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. I don’t hold any resentment to be honest. I don’t hold a grudge. I came like 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.”