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World No.1 Tennis player Novak Djokovic has had his visa cancelled despite receiving an exemption to travel into Australia to compete in the Australian Open.
Initially the Serbian revealed he had been given "medical exemption" to enter Melbourne despite not having a COVID-19 vaccination.
However, the 20-time Grand Slam winner was then refused entry due to an issue with the application for a sub-visa to get into the country.
He was stopped at passport control and kept in a room in at Tullamarine Airport for more than six hours by Border Force officials, with the Serbian embassy involved.
But it's now emerged Djokovic, who has repeatedly refused to declare his vaccination status, is being sent home.
According to the country's health minister Greg Hunt, the 34-year-old did not provide "appropriate standards of proof" to enter Australia.
The event gets under way on January 17 and it appears as though Djokovic will therefore be unable to defend his Australian Open crown, which he has won on nine occasions and for the past three year years on the trot.
It's said the error in regards to his visa was not picked up prior to Djokovic boarding 14 hour flight from Dubai to Melbourne.
"The federal government has asked if we will support Novak Djokovic’s visa application to enter Australia," Victoria's acting sports minister Jaala Pulford said on the matter.
"We will not be providing Novak Djokovic with individual visa application support to participate in the 2022 Australian Open grand slam.
"We’ve always been clear on two points: visa approvals are a matter for the federal government, and medical exemptions are a matter for doctors."
Djokovic is tied with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer on Grand Slams, with his next triumph seeing him becoming the most decorated men's tennis player.
Featured Image Credit: Image: PA & InstagramTopics: Novak Djokovic, Tennis, Australia, Australian Open
Josh Lawless