Thread by @Telegraph

🚨BREAKING: Novak Djokovic has been dramatically refused entry to Australia, potentially wrecking his defence of his Australian Open crown barely 24 hours after it looked to have been rescued telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01…

🔴In what was fast becoming a major diplomatic incident, Djokovic was told he was being deported after he was detained at Melbourne Airport.

It came amid claims he had attempted to enter the country using invalid documents following a mix-up with his visa

➡️The world No 1's lawyers were in the process of challenging the decision amid reports there were also question marks over whether he had adequate documentation to support the “medical exemption” he was granted to allow him to play at the first grand slam of the year

🗣️An Australian Border Force statement said: "Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and his visa has been subsequently cancelled"

⛔️ Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday night: "Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders".

telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01…

Pictures from Australian TV on Thursday morning appeared to show a car escorting Novak Djokovic to a government detention hotel (📸 Reuters)

It's hard to sympathise with Djokovic – but this is cynical posturing by Australia because the country is now Covid-central, says @oliverbrown_tel

telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01…

'Australia doesn't deserve a grand slam' – how the world reacted to the Djokovic drama (free to read🔓)

telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01…

Novak Djokovic's injunction request against his visa cancellation has been listed for a hearing at 4pm local time (5am GMT). #NOVAKDJOKOVIC

telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01…

Novak Djokovic: Maggots, refugees and graffiti — what we know about the hotel where world No 1 is being held.
#novakdjokovic
telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01…

🎾"The same characteristics that make him a sporting giant only add to his fallibility as a private citizen" writes @simonrbriggs

telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01…

Nadal did not hold back in his verdict on the controversy:

🗣️“I went through Covid. I have been vaccinated twice. If you do this, you don’t have any problem to play here."

telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01…

🔴Djokovic's lawyers made an injunction request against an immediate deportation which was not opposed by government officials.

This means he can remain in Melbourne until Monday to fight his case

telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01…

💉Downing Street has called for professional sportspeople to get vaccinated after the tennis player Novak Djokovic was barred from entering Australia because he was not jabbed

telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

❌"Djokovic is a powerful role model, particularly in the Balkans. Thousands of people have probably emulated his stance on vaccines. Some are likely to suffer consequences as a result"

Read more from @simonrbriggs 👇
telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/01…

🗣️Novak Djokovic's mother says her son cannot sleep and is in "some hotel for immigrants, full of fleas with horrible food".

Dijana accused Australian authorities of making him a "political scapegoat"
telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

🔴 Novak Djokovic has been denied the request to spend his quarantine period in a rented apartment where his team is at, according to reports

Read more: telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

🚨Boris Johnson has backed the Australian government in its decision to refuse entry to the tennis star Novak Djokovic because he is unvaccinated
telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/…

➡️As Djokovic spends Serbia’s Christmas Day in a hotel room ‘full of fleas’, even fellow tennis stars have shown him little sympathy
telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/0…