Djokovic in limbo as he fights deportation from Australia

Novak Djokovic will stay in immigration detention in Australia after a court adjourned a legal challenge against his visa cancellation

Australian Open Djokovic (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Novak Djokovic spent a day confined to a hotel room waiting for a court, dealing with the confronting prospect of an early departure from Australia.

The 20-time major winner will spend at least another night there, in immigration detention, still waiting, as he fights against deportation.

With his entry denied and his visa canceled by Australian Border Force officials who rejected his evidence to support a medical exemption for the country's strict COVID-19 vaccination rules, Djokovic had to trade the practice courts for the courts of law on Thursday.

The nine-time champion's chance of playing in the Australian Open starting Jan. 17 remains in limbo.

Federal Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly said there was a delay in receiving the application for a review of the visa decisions and the temporary ban on Djokovic’s deportation. A lawyer for the government agreed the tennis star should not be deported until Friday at the earliest.

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Associated Press Writer Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade Serbia contributed to this report.

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