Novak Djokovic up against Australian Border Force

The collision of Novak Djokovic’s anti-vax views with the provaccination position of the Australian Border Force this week had an air of inevitability with the luxury of hindsight.

How did the freakishly talented Serbian tennis ace ever believe he could power his way through a hardline policy which states confirmation of a recent Covid infection is no grounds for a medical exemption to enter the country unvaccinated?

The answer is smartly provided by Simon Briggs of the UK Telegraph, who unpicked the trail of Djokovic’s belief system, as outlined in the player’s own autobiography, Serve to Win.

It appears Djokovic has persuaded himself of many things, such as an ability to purify a glass of water with his emotions and that holding a slice of bread on his stomach made him lose strength in his arms.

Djokovic also has a Melbourne “friend” in high places — a Brazilian fig tree that he likes “to connect with” in the botanical gardens.

There is no shortage of high performers who have become the best in the world for their talent while maintaining some of the most surprising beliefs.

Perhaps to be the best, one must also be the most offbeat.

One might think they were harmless beliefs if one wasn’t Tennis Australia.

Ultimately, Djokovic is ranked as the number one ATP player in the world and this must only reinforce to him that his convictions have got him there.

The trust is strong. He has caught Covid twice, which might shake a lesser person’s certainty that catching Covid meant you couldn’t get it again.

It’s just a pity for him that the Australian Border Force didn’t share that belief.