Novak Djokovic says 'looks from colleagues' at Australian Open 'hurt a lot' amid vaccination saga

Novak Djokovic says the “looks” he got from his fellow tennis professionals at the Australian Open as he battled deportation from the country “hurt a lot”. Djokovic was initially refused entry into Australia earlier this year as border officials questioned the reasons for the medical exemption which was meant to allow him to compete at the tournament despite being unvaccinated.

Ad/> However, after being placed in a quarantine hotel, the decision to cancel his visa was quashed by a judge and he was allowed to train and prepare for the Australian Open. TennisNadal 'in the mood' for the clay-court season — Corretja15 HOURS AGO He then had his visa cancelled a second time over fears that his presence would stoke anti-vaccination sentiment in the country, and was deported on the eve of the Grand Slam.

“I was free for four days, and I was training, but it was not a regular kind of training days I would normally have prior to Grand Slam competitions,” Djokovic told the BBC. “I had helicopters flying above every single training session that I had on Rod Laver Arena, cameras all over the place.

Corretja: Nadal 'in the mood' for clay season Djokovic willing to skip majors rather than get vaccine «Also, my colleagues, that really hurt me a lot. I felt that energy and those looks from my colleagues and people that were in the tennis facility, and obviously, I understand that they had a perception that was based on what they were seeing from media reports.

“[But] I wasn’t able and wasn’t going out to the media because of what I had previously said about respecting the legal process and respecting the Australian Open. “But at that time, I really wanted to speak to everyone and give my explanation.» When he arrived in the country,