Djokovic is ‘grateful’ after visa appeal win
Novak Djokovic is “pleased and grateful” that his appeal against a decision to refuse him a visa in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia was successful and he wants to “stay and try to compete” at the Australian Open.
Judge Anthony Kelly quashed the visa cancellation and ordered the Australian Government to pay legal costs and release the Serbian from detention within half an hour.
But Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke is still considering whether to exercise a personalpowerofcancellation of Djokovic’s visa in a process that could drag on for a number of days.
The world number one tweeted: “I’m pleased and grateful that the Judge overturned my visa cancellation. Despite all that has happened, I want to stay and try to compete @AustralianOpen.
“I remain focused on that. I flew here to play at one of the mostimportanteventswehave in front of the amazing fans.
“For now I cannot say more but thank you all for standing with me through all this and encouragingmetostaystrong.”
At a press conference staged by the Djokovic family in Belgrade, his mother Dijana described her son’s successful appealas“thebiggestwinofhis career – bigger than any of the grand slams he has won”.
She added: “He has done nothing wrong. He hasn’t broken any of their laws, but he was subjected to torture, to harassment.
“Hefoughtagainstthatsystem and against that government because he thought had the right to be there with the visa that he got, and he went theretowinthattournament.”
However, Djokovic’s plans could still be scuppered if Hawke exercises his right to over-rule the court’s decision.