Djokovic faces deportation as Australia revokes visa again

By JOHN PYE and ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Tennis star Novak Djokovic faces deportation again after the Australian government revoked his visa for a second time. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke cited the public interest in revoking the 34-year-old Serb’s visa three days before the Australian Open begins. His lawyers are expected to appeal in a federal court as they successfully did last week on procedural grounds. Prime Minister Scott Morrison welcomed Djokovic’s pending deportation, saying Australia had achieved one of the lowest pandemic death rates, strongest economies and highest vaccination rates in the world. Everyone at the Australian Open is required to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Djokovic is not and sought an exemption because he had COVID-19 in December.