Reports: Lawyers say Djokovic had COVID-19 last month

By JOHN PYE
AP Sports Writer

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Broadcasting Corp. is reporting lawyers for Novak Djokovic have lodged court documents in his challenge against deportation from Australia that showed the tennis star contracted COVID-19 last month. The No. 1-ranked Djokovic was denied entry at the Melbourne airport late Wednesday after the Australian Border Force canceled his visa for failing to meet its entry requirement that all non-citizens be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Djokovic was given a medical exemption backed by the Victoria state government and Australian Open organizers based on information he supplied to two independent medical panels. Djokovic is in an immigration detention hotel in Melbourne preparing for his challenge in the Federal Circuit Court on Monday.