Novak Djokovic: Australia cancels tennis star's visa to enter country

Novak has won the Australian Open nine times during his career

World number one tennis star Novak Djokovic has had his visa to enter Australia cancelled on his arrival in the country.

Djokovic was held in Melbourne airport for several hours before border officials announced he had not met entry rules and would be deported - which means forced to leave the country.

He was then taken to a government detention hotel, where he is still waiting to find out if he can stay or if he must leave Australia.

It all comes after public anger over the decision to give Djokovic special permission - a vaccine exemption - to play in the Australian Open, which begins on 17 January.

'Rules are rules'

Australia is seeing tens of thousands of Covid-19 cases for the first time after the public there lived with some of the world's strictest restrictions over the last two years.

More than 90% of Australia's over-16 population is fully vaccinated, but some people still cannot travel between states or globally because of current rules.

Many Australians had previously accused the government of allowing the rich and famous to do what they wanted while ordinary people remained separated from loved ones.

So, news of Djokovic's exemption to enter the country led to an angry response in Australia.

People queue for Covid tests in the city of Melbourne where the Australian Open takes place.

The Serbian player has not spoken about his vaccination status, but last year he said he was "opposed to vaccination".

Tennis Australia, who run the Australian Open tournament, said his medical exemption had been granted by two independent medical panels and by Victoria's state government.

But now national officials - who control the country's borders - said Djokovic had "failed to provide appropriate evidence" for entry into Australia after arriving on Wednesday.

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said no-one was above the country's rules and said that officials would send Djokovic home if he failed to provide proper evidence of his vaccination exemption.

What have people said?

Djokovic is now being held at a hotel in Melbourne, which is used for immigration detention.

His father, Srdjan Djokovic, said his son had been held in a room guarded by police at the airport. "This is not just a fight for Novak, but a fight for the whole world," he said in a statement released to the media.

Serbian President Aleksander Vucic said the star was a victim of "harassment" and said that "the whole of Serbia" supported him.

The 34-year-old previously said he would be able to play under an exemption permission

Mr Morrison denied the visa cancellation was because of "any particular position in relation to Serbia", describing the nation as "a good friend of Australia".

Djokovic's lawyers have launched an appeal in court to have the decision changed which will be heard on Monday, If his appeal is rejected, Novak will be forced to leave Australia.