Novak Djokovic says his Australian Open deportation was politically motivated: "Nothing to do with medical"
ATP
Novak Djokovic has revisited one of the most controversial episodes of his career, claiming that his detention and deportation from Australia in January 2022 was politically motivated. Speaking in his new documentary The Wolf in Winter, the 24-time Grand Slam champion recalled his hours in immigration detention after arriving in Melbourne.
The timing made the episode particularly significant. Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer were all tied on 20 Grand Slam titles, setting up another major chapter in their battle for the all-time record. Djokovic had won the Australian Open nine times and arrived as the defending champion, putting him in position to become the first of the three to reach 21 majors.
Federer was already ruled out with a knee injury, while Nadal had only recently returned from a lengthy layoff and entered Melbourne with questions over his form. Djokovic, meanwhile, was world No. 1 and had won three of the previous four Grand Slam tournaments, making him the clear favorite to take advantage of his rivals' circumstances.
Instead, his decision not to receive a COVID-19 vaccination triggered a major legal dispute. Although Djokovic had been granted a medical exemption, Australian authorities cancelled his visa and eventually deported him after he lost his appeal, preventing him from defending his title. Nadal went on to win the tournament, beating Daniil Medvedev from two sets down to claim his 21st Grand Slam title.
Djokovic recalls the night that changed the Australian Open
More than four years later, Djokovic has now offered one of his clearest accounts of what happened when he arrived in Melbourne. In the documentary, he described immediately sensing that something was wrong before being taken away from the normal immigration process.
“When I arrived, I already saw a couple of officers coming from the immigration zone looking at me. I immediately started to feel something isn't right," the former world No. 1 said. "They asked me to come with them. They took me to an immigration zone from 11 p.m. to 9 a.m. They took my phone, everything.”
Djokovic won his 7th Aussie Open title and 16th Grand Slam in Melbourne back in 2019. He defeated Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
Djokovic's position on vaccination had already become a major global story before his arrival. Australia was still operating under strict COVID-19 measures, and the Serbian had made clear that he was prepared to accept the consequences of remaining unvaccinated. His medical exemption, based on a recent COVID-19 infection, became the central point of the dispute over whether he should be allowed to enter and compete.
In the documentary, however, Djokovic went further than simply describing the process. He argued that his profile made the situation fundamentally different from an ordinary immigration or medical case.
“Australia had one of the biggest lockdowns. They didn't want someone with my profile who is known in that country and everyone knowing I am not vaccinated who was coming in there staying a month.”
The Serbian also claimed that he later learned of two other people — a player and a coach — who had entered Australia using what he described as the same type of medical exemption.
“Later on, I found out that that there were two other people — one was a player, one was a coach — that entered Australia based on the same medical exemption that I had. It was all political. It had nothing to do with medical. It had nothing to do with anything else. It was purely political.”
Nadal took the opportunity Djokovic never got
The sporting consequences were immediate. Djokovic never stepped onto court at Melbourne Park in 2022 despite arriving as the nine-time champion and the player best positioned to move ahead of Nadal and Federer in the Grand Slam race.
Instead, Nadal made the most of an opportunity that had seemed unlikely only weeks earlier. The Spaniard had endured a difficult 2021 because of his foot injury and had not played at a Grand Slam since losing to Djokovic in the 2021 French Open semifinals. Yet he began 2022 unbeaten, reached the Australian Open final and produced one of the most remarkable comebacks of his career against Daniil Medvedev.
Rafael Nadal won the 2022 Australian Open trophy and unexpectedly took the record for most Grand Slam titles in the Open Era with 21 at the time, one more than his biggest rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Nadal recovered from two sets down to win 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 after five hours and 24 minutes, becoming the first man in the Open Era to reach 21 Grand Slam singles titles. The victory broke the three-way tie and gave Nadal the outright lead in the record that Djokovic had been expected to challenge in Melbourne.
The rivalry did not end there. Djokovic eventually returned to Australia, winning the Australian Open again in 2023 and reclaiming the Grand Slam record before eventually extending his tally to 24 major titles. His relationship with Melbourne Park also survived the extraordinary events of 2022: he has repeatedly returned to the tournament and continued to build on what is already the most successful Australian Open record in men's tennis.
For Djokovic, however, the 2022 episode remains a rare moment when the outcome of a Grand Slam was decided before he could hit a ball. More than four years later, his documentary account makes clear that he still sees the deportation not simply as a missed tournament, but as an episode shaped by forces beyond tennis.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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