(CNN) –– The world’s number 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic announced through his verified Twitter account that he wants to stay and play the Australian Open, after a judge overturned the cancellation of your visa.
“I am happy and grateful that a judge overturned the cancellation of my visa. Despite everything that has happened, I want to stay and try to compete in the Australian Open. I remain focused on that,” Djokovic wrote in an accompanying message. a picture of you and your training gear. “I traveled here to participate in one of the most important events that we have in front of incredible fans,” he added. And in a subsequent message he indicated that he could not say anything else, “but a THANK YOU to all of you for supporting me in the midst of all this and encouraging me to stay strong.”
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 most important events we have in front of the amazing fans. ???? pic.twitter.com/iJVbMfQ037— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 10, 2022
“He’s finally free”: his family gives a press conference
Around the same time, his brother Djordje Djokovic told a press conference from Belgrade that the tennis player was “finally free”. And he added that the athlete visited the tennis court before to train.
“It’s all over, finally, and Novak is finally free. Novak was on the tennis court a little earlier, he trained a little. And that’s how he fights for himself: he plays tennis,” Djordje Djokovic said at the press conference.
His mother Dijana Djokovic also participated in the press conference, saying she is “very concerned” that her son may still be deported, when asked about it.
In his comments, he also noted that this was a “great victory”, even calling it the most important victory of Djokovic’s career. “You can imagine what we’ve been through in the last few days,” as a family, he said. “This situation has been very difficult … we tried very hard to fight for him.”
“We couldn’t call him, they took his phone from him,” said the mother.
Djordje Djokovic thanked the tennis player’s fans and said he hoped Novak would come out of this as a champion. In addition, he maintained that this is first and foremost a celebration of Novak Djokovic’s victory. In that sense, he indicated that he was delighted that “the Australian legal system has come in favor of Novak.”
About your brother’s positive covid-19 test on December 16, Djordje confirmed that this was the case and that “the entire process was public and all the documents were public and legal.”
The brother sidestepped a final question from a reporter, who asked if Djokovic had been to an event on December 17, “suspending” the press conference.
The ruling in favor of Djokovic suspending the cancellation of his visa
First thing in the morning this monday, an Australian judge overturned the government’s decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa and ordered his release. The decision allows him to defend his men’s singles title at the Australian Open, although there is still the possibility that he could be deported.
After hours of deliberation, technical failures and arguments from both sides, Judge Anthony Kelly ordered Djokovic released from a temporary detention center in a hotel. Also to have his belongings returned to him within 30 minutes of Monday’s ruling.
Judge Kelly also ordered the defendant in the case, the Australian Home Office, to pay Djokovic’s legal costs.
Following the decision, a government lawyer said the Australian Immigration Minister reserves the right to personally intervene in the case. Christopher Tran, representing the government, said Minister Alex Hawke retains ministerial power to remove Djokovic from the country, despite the judge’s decision.
The ruling, made via video link at the Australian Federal Circuit Court in Melbourne, comes after days of speculation and public anger over whether the tennis star could play at the Australian Open, despite not be vaccinated against covid-19.
The 34-year-old Serb flew to Australia on January 5, only to have his visa canceled after the Australian Border Force deemed his medical exemption from the requirement that all people arriving in the country be fully vaccinated against covid. -19 was not valid.
Faced with deportation and his hopes of winning his 21st Grand Slam in jeopardy, Djokovic launched a legal challenge.
During the hearing, Djokovic’s legal team argued that he had obtained the required medical exemption to travel to Australia and circumvent covid-19 vaccination restrictions. That exemption had been granted on the grounds that Djokovic had natural immunity after having contracted COVID-19 in December, his defense argued.
Djokovic, who previously voiced opposition to covid-19 vaccines and vaccine mandates, was not vaccinated when he arrived in Australia. In his ruling, the judge noted that if Djokovic had been deported, he would have been banned from Australia for three years.
The case attracted worldwide attention and drew ire from both its supporters and its critics. Some even said their case shows that celebrities get special treatment when it comes to Australia’s harsh covid-19 rules, which have left families separated for years. While others who believe that the coronavirus restrictions are encroaching on their civil liberties.