Novak Djokovic faced at least 72 hours holed up in a Melbourne hotel for immigration detainees after he was denied entry into Australia on Thursday amid a political firestorm over his medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
The tennis star, who is chasing a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open, remained in the country after his lawyers launched an appeal seeking to overturn the federal government decision. A court agreed not to deport him before a full hearing scheduled for Monday.
The saga, fueled by domestic political disputes about the country's handling of a record surge in new COVID-19 infections, has led to an international incident, with Serbia's president claiming his nation's most celebrated sportsman was being harassed.