DJOKOVIC TRAINS AT AO VENUE AFTER VISA WIN

Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic was training at the Australian Open (AO) venue on Tuesday, AFP journalists saw, a day after he won a legal battle against the cancellation of his visa.

The nine-time AO champion was seen limbering up in a gym before going into the players’ area and heading for center court, six days before the tournament begins.

Djokovic’s dream of chasing a record 21st Grand Slam hung in the balance as the Australian government pondered whether to cancel his visa, again.

The world No. 1 scored a stunning courtroom victory the day before, overturning the government’s decision to cancel his visa on Covid-19 vaccination grounds.

The unvaccinated 34-year-old Serbian ace now says he is determined to stay in Melbourne and compete in the AO, which starts in just six days.

“I remain focused on that. I flew here to play at one of the most important events we have in front of the amazing fans,” Djokovic said on Instagram late Monday, attaching a photo of himself and his team standing on the AO center court.

Djokovic, a nine-time AO champion, jetted into the country six days ago carrying a medical exemption to vaccination due to a positive test for Covid-19 on December 16 last year.

After overnight questioning at Melbourne airport, border officials decided that Djokovic’s medical exemption was not valid, canceled his visa and transferred him to a detention center pending deportation.

“I am not vaccinated,”

Djokovic had told the border official, according to a transcript released by the court.

He expressed bewilderment that his medical exemption, approved by two medical panels in

Australia, was not being accepted.