BREAKING: Australian Open draw "cancelled until further notice"
Something afoot behind the scenes in the last few minutes here at Melbourne Park. The live stream had started shortly after 3pm but has now ended. No new time given for the draw.
To give a further indication of how the the draw was suddenly postponed at short notice, I asked a member of Tennis Australia staff outside the room at 2:58pm if there was going to be a delay and was told it was going ahead.
Could be an update on this fast-moving situation to come in about half an hour. Novak Djokovic was practising on the Rod Laver Arena only two hours ago...
Australian television channel 9Gem is scheduled to broadcast a "draw show" at 7pm local time, which was going to recap the outcome of the draw earlier in the day. Unclear now if it will be done in time for the start of that programme.
NEW: Australian Open draw to start at 4:15pm local time
Aussie PM Scott Morrison has now been talking about Covid-19 issues in Canberra for 15 minutes and has not mentioned Novak Djokovic. The excellent @paulsakkal reports that he is not going to. Draw starts in 10 mins here at Melbourne Park.
Journalists have now been permitted entry to the room. Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley among the officials on stage preparing for the start of the draw shortly.
CONFIRMED: Novak Djokovic is in the Australian Open men's singles draw as the top seed. Remains to be seen whether he will actually compete...
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley refuses a request to take questions from journalists after the draw.
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Court documents starting to drop. More background here behind the decision to cancel Novak Djokovic's visa for a second time. Some very interesting inclusions and frankly wider than I had initially thought it would be. fedcourt.gov.au/services/acces…
One section contains the immigration minister Alex Hawke's consideration that Djokovic's presence in Australia may lead to "an increased number of people deciding to not receive a booster vaccine" and "increased pressure [being] placed on the Australian health system".
One of Djokovic's arguments against the cancellation of his visa is that "Cancelling Mr Djokovic's visa would prejudice Australia's economic interests, and jeopardise the viability of Australia continuing to host the Australian Open".
Just in from the federal circuit court on Djokovic vs the Minister for Immigration: "A directions hearing will be conducted tonight at 8.45pm (Melbourne Time) before Judge Anthony Kelly of the FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT."
This hearing will be shown on YouTube. Starts in 25 minutes!
I'm most looking forward to seeing the reaction of Judge Kelly after having his Friday night ruined...