Djokovic continues to have “trauma” from Covid-19 detention before Australian Open 2022

The Serb wasn’t allowed to defend his Melbourne title three years ago after he refused to take the required vaccination

Federico Pestellini / Panoramic

January 7, 2025

Novak Djokovic hasn’t completely gotten over the 2022 Australian Open fiasco as he was deported from Down Under for failing to adhere to Covid-19 guidelines.

Djokovic refused to take the required vaccination, going against the Australian decree during the pandemic that brought the world to a standstill. He arrived in the city of Melbourne to defend his Australian Open title but was sent back after being kept in detention for days.

Three years later, he’s in Melbourne again but free. However, he’s failed to forget the fateful few days of January 2022.

“The last couple of times that I landed in Australia, to go through passport control and immigration — I had a bit of trauma from three years ago,” he told Herald Sun ahead of the Melbourne Major. “And some traces still stay there when I’m passing passport control, just checking out if someone from immigration zone is approaching. The person checking my passport — are they going to take me, detain me again or let me go? I must admit I have that feeling.”

I don’t hold a grudge.”
Novak Djokovic

The 24-time Grand Slam champion came to the Happy Slam in 2023 and produced a glorious run to lift the trophy, defeating Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. Surrounded by his family and team in the stands, he apparently let it all out with roars and intense fist-pumps while celebrating the triumph, thus, breaking away from the shackles of petty grudges.

“I don’t hold any resentment,” he added. “I don’t hold a grudge. I came like right away the year after in 2023…and I won the Australian Open — it was my 22nd slam. My parents and whole team were there, and it was actually one of the most emotional wins that I’ve ever had considering all that I’d been through the year before.”