Sonali Paul, Sudipto Ganguly

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic is facing an eleven-hour court hearing Sunday. This will determine if he can defend the Australian Open title. It’s the culmination of days of drama about COVID-19 entry requirements as well as his unvaccinated status.

Djokovic is the winner of nine previous titles. However, the controversy about Djokovic’s visa and how he was treated by immigration authorities and how the government handled the case have almost overshadowed Monday’s tournament.

Justice David O’Callaghan has scheduled a Federal Court hearing at 9:30 AM Sunday (23230 GMT Saturday). According to the court, three judges will hear the appeal. Their decision is final.

Djokovic, who is the men’s top ranked player and is chasing a record 21st Grand Slam win, spent Saturday night at Melbourne’s Park Hotel https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-tennis-australia-djokovic-hotel-idUKKBN2JH0LO, according to a Reuters witness, returning to the same immigration detention hotel where he was held for four nights last week.

    A judge freed https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/novak-djokovics-bid-stay-australia-goes-before-courts-2022-01-09 him on Monday after finding the decision to cancel his visa on arrival had been unreasonable. Djokovic refused to receive coronavirus vaccine and sought to enter Australia with an exemption medically from the regulations that require all visitors to become vaccinated.

Alex Hawke, Immigration Minister, cancelled Djokovic’s visa on Friday night. This prompted the lawyers to appeal that will take place on Sunday.

    Court documents released after an initial Federal Court hearing on Saturday showed Hawke had justified his decision on the grounds that Djokovic’s presence could whip up more anti-vaccination sentiment in Australia at a time that the country is in the midst of its worst outbreak of the virus.

    “Although I … accept that Mr Djokovic poses a negligible individual risk of transmitting COVID-19 to other persons, I nonetheless consider that his presence may be a risk to the health of the Australian community,” Hawke said in a letter to Djokovic and his legal team.

    This explanation in Djokovic’s affidavit was more detailed than the brief statement Hawke released on Friday, saying his decision was based on “health and good order grounds”.

Djokovic’s lawyers stated they would make the argument that Djokovic being deported would encourage anti-vaccine sentiment, and pose a danger to disorder as well as public health.

“TIRED OF THE SITUATION”

A dozen or so refugees chanted, “stop the torture… let the out”, as Djokovic’s Border Force officers drove into an underground garage at the Park Hotel. The Park Hotel is used for 33 COVID-19-inquired travellers and asylum seekers.

The hotel was passed by a cyclist who shouted, “Go home Novak!”

Djokovic’s exemption medically from vaccination requirements for the Open caused widespread anger in Australia. Australia has been subject to some of most rigorous COVID-19 lockdowns, and more than 90% are currently vaccinated. However, hospitalisations continue to climb to record levels.

    The controversy over the tennis player has become a political touchstone for Prime Minister Scott Morrison as he prepares for an election due by May.

    His government has won support at home for its tough stance on border security during the pandemic, but it has faced criticism for its handling of Djokovic’s visa application.

Djokovic’s leading rivals have become increasingly impatient https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/players-tired-djokovic-circus-de-minaur-2022-01-15 with the uncertainty hanging over the draw and the cloud hanging over their sport.

    “Honestly I’m little bit tired of the situation because I just believe that it’s important to talk about our sport, about tennis,” Spaniard Rafa Nadal, who is tied on 20 major titles with Djokovic, told reporters at Melbourne Park, where the event will be played.

    German Alexander Zverev, the world number three, said Djokovic had been treated unfairly and that the Serb might have been used as a political pawn by Australian authorities, something Canberra has denied.

    “This is obviously not a nice thing for everyone, for him especially. Zverev stated, “But don’t doubt his legacy because of that.”

    Djokovic, who is scheduled to play fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovi in the first round of the Open, could still withdraw and leave Australia of his own accord rather than suffer the humiliation of being deported.