Novak Djokovic wins case against deportation by Australian government

A judge ordered that he be released from hotel quarantine within 30 minutes

Novak Djokovic has won an appeal against his deportation from Australia, after border officials had previously ruled that the tennis star did not meet the criteria for a vaccine exemption. Djokovic had spent four nights in an immigration detention hotel in Melbourne when then hearing got underway at 10am local time. But the judge ruled in his favour, ordering he be released within half an hour and allowing him to play at next week's Australian Open, where Novak is the reigning champion. The tennis star's lawyers claimed that he was able to get a medical exemption due to the fact that he tested positive for the virus on December 16. Australia requires that all non-Australians are fully vaccinated before entering the country, something Djokovic has never disclosed, having previously voiced his opposition to vaccines in the past. Judge Anthony Kelly noted that Djokovic had provided officials with a medical exemption given him by Tennis Australia and two medical panels, Sky News reports. "The point I'm somewhat agitated about is what more could this man have done?" Mr Kelly asked Djokovic's lawyer, Nick Wood. Related links:

• Andy Murray says Novak Djoković situation is ‘really bad for tennis’
• Novak Djoković was not told his ‘medical exemption’ would allow him to enter Australia
• Novak Djokovic photographed maskless at event a day after supposed positive Covid test