UPDATE - Djokovic Says Disappointed With Decision Of Australian Court To Cancel His Visa

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th January, 2022) Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic said on Sunday he was "extremely disappointed" by the decision of the Australian Federal Court to uphold the cancellation of his visa, but promised to cooperate with the relevant authorities regarding his deportation.

Earlier in the day, The Federal Court of Australia denied Djokovic's appeal against the decision to cancel his visa. The athlete will be deported from Australia and will not be able to defend his title of the nine-time champion at the season's first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open.

"I am extremely disappointed with the ruling to dismiss my application for judicial review of the decision to cancel my visa, which means I cannot stay in Australia and participate in the Australian Open. I respect the Court's ruling and I'll cooperate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from Australia," Djokovic said in a statement published on Twitter by Paul Sakkal, a journalist for the Australian newspaper The Age.

The world no. 1 added that he was "uncomfortable that the focus of the past weeks" and hoped that the focus would now turn to the tournament underway.

At the same time, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison welcomed the court's decision.

"This cancellation decision was made on health, safety and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so. I welcome the decision to keep our borders strong and keep Australians safe," Morrison wrote on Facebook.

In turn, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that the Australian authorities had humiliated themselves by canceling Djokovic's visa.

"Those who think that they have defended some principles have shown that they have no principles. They mocked the best tennis player for 10-11 days to order the judgment, which they knew they would order from the very first day," Vucic told journalists.

The president added that the Australian authorities had initiated "a witch hunt" not only against Djokovic, but also against Serbia to show how the world order works.

According to Vucic, an Australian prosecutor misrepresented information on the vaccination in Serbia, saying that less than half of the country's population was vaccinated. The Serbian authorities have said that about 58% are fully immunized.

On January 5, unvaccinated Djokovic arrived in Australia to participate in the Australian Open but was detained and put to a migration isolation ward after the Australian authorities canceled his visa, citing violations of the country's vaccination rules.

Four days later, Djokovic was released by a court order. However, on Friday, Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke revoked Djokovic's entry visa for the second time.

The competition will take place on the courts of Melbourne Park from January 17-30.