Novak Djokovic taken to court for his final fight against deportation hours before the start of the Australian Open

NOVAK.

The 34-year-old tennis star faces humiliating deportation and even being sent to the airport under armed guard if his final appeal is unsuccessful.

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He was caught wearing a white mask and looking stressed as he prepared to meet his legal team ahead of the trial, which begins at 10:30pm GMT (9:30am Oz time).

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used his powers to cancel Djokovic’s visa on the grounds of “good health and order” and overturned a previously successful appeal.

He suggested that the star’s presence in Australia could cause protests and “civil unrest”, and encouraged Australian citizens not to get vaccinated against Covid.

Hawke said his acceptance of Djokovic’s recent Covid infection meant he was a “negligible risk to those around him” – but he was “regarded by some as a talisman of the anti-vaccination community”.

Mr Djokovic’s continued presence in Australia could, he said, lead to an increase in anti-vaccination sentiment in the Australian community, potentially leading to an increase in civil unrest of the kind that was once experienced. experienced in Australia with protests and demonstrations may themselves be the source of community transmission.”

The minister noted in court documents Djokovic was a “person of influence and status”.

He expressed concern that the player’s “constant presence in Australia may encourage others to disregard or act inconsistently with public health advice and policy in Australia”.

It comes later Chaos broke out after announcing Djokovic’s arrest after his anti-vaxx court victory, with police firing tear gas at fans.

Read ours Novak Djokovic’s Live Blog for latest update

Pictures showed chaos as supporters of the tennis ace steamed over a car leaving his lawyer’s office as police battled to move them away.

Hundreds of outraged Djokovic supporters formed huge crowds outside his lawyer’s office in Melbourne when groups stopped a vehicle they believed was carrying the tennis star.

Fans clashed with police, who used pepper spray to control them as they chanted Djokovic’s nickname and threw bottles as tensions escalated.

Fears are growing of further riots after Djokovic’s arrival at Melbourne’s Park Hotel – same immigration detention center where he was held last week – just before 3:30pm on Saturday (4.30am UK time).

Dozens of refugee activists chanted “stop the torture…let them go” as the tennis star and Border Force agents drove into the hotel’s underground car park.

This will be the second time in detention for Djokovic, who spent the first four nights in Australia in a hotel before a judge released him on Monday.

Djokovic met with immigration and Border Force officials earlier on Saturday for an undercover check at an undisclosed location before he was taken back to the hotel again.

THREE YEARS POTENTIAL

The Djokovic’s anti-vaxxer saga started when his visa was revoked when he first landed Down Under on January 5.

Australian Border Force officials said he had “failed to provide appropriate evidence” to be exempt from the vaccine.

The star spent hours at the airport and then spent days at an immigrant hotel.

But the latest twist saw the Australian government revoke his visa again, overturning a successful appeal that saw him released from custody.

During a nightly special hearing on Friday, his legal team immediately launched a desperate last-minute attempt to have him stay in the country.

Djokovic’s lawyers have said they will argue his deportation will only add to fan anti-vaxx sentiment – and would be a threat to public health by letting him stay and exempt him. from Australia’s vaccine requirements.

Judge Anthony Kelly has ordered the federal government not to take any steps to remove the star from Australia before his appeal is resolved.

If successful, Djokovic could face Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the Australian Open, which starts on Monday and where he is the number one seed.

If he loses the case and gets deported then he will banned from Australia for three years.

He will be 37 years old when he can return home and compete in the Australian Open.

The nine-time Australian Open champion hopes to defend her title next week.

If he wins, he will become the most successful male tennis player in history with a record of 21 Grand Slam titles.

Melbourne-based immigration lawyer Kian Bone said Djokovic’s lawyers would now need to receive two emergency orders for him to stay and compete.

An order would be an order preventing his deportation, such as what he won in court last week.

The latter forced Hawke to issue a competition visa to Djokovic.

“They’re holding him as a prisoner, it’s just not fair, it’s not human.”

If the court decides to deport him from Australia, Djokovic faces being escorted to the plane by armed police.

Follow court legal site, if an application to stay is denied a person will be arrested and removed from Australia.

Lawyer Michelle Makela wrote on the website: “Unless you leave voluntarily you will be arrested and deported from Australia.

Djokovic can also jail after admitting he broke Serbia’s quarantine rules after testing positive for Covid in December.

In a lengthy statement, Djokovic admits he defied the rules and participated in a photo shoot and interview with the French newspaper L’Equipe in an “error of judgment”.

He confessed that he met with a journalist two days after he tested positive in Belgrade, before he went Down Under.

The sports star did not cover his face during a photo shoot, but said he did cover his face for the rest of the meeting.

He claimed he felt “obligated” to complete the interview arrangement because he “didn’t want to let the journalist down”, but did admit that he should “reschedule”.

According to Serbian law, breaking the Covid rules can be punished by up to three years in prison.

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