Australian judge says Djokovic can stay but saga not over

By ROD McGUIRK and MARK D. BAKER
Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic has returned to the tennis court for training, having won a legal battle to stay in Australia and play in the Australian Open after his exemption from strict coronavirus vaccine rules was questioned. But the government is still threatening to cancel his visa and deport him. Federal Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly reinstated Djokovic’s visa on Monday. It was pulled after his arrival last week because officials said he didn’t qualify for an exemption to a rule that all non-citizens be fully vaccinated. Djokovic’s lawyers say that since he recently recovered from COVID-19, he didn’t need to be inoculated. But a government lawyer has told the judge that the immigration minister might use his personal power to cancel the visa again.