Novak Djokovic resumes tennis training ahead of Australian Open after winning appeal over visa

The Serbian’s family spoke at a press conference in Serbia after the men’s No 1 tennis player won his appeal against deportation

Novak Djokovic has resumed training for the Australian Open 2022 after winning his appeal against deportation from Australia.

The Serbian was released from an immigration facility in Melbourne following scrutiny over his medical exemption for the Covid vaccine.

His brother Djordje Djokovic has revealed that the 34-year-old has continued his training and took to the tennis court on Monday night in Melbourne.

He said: “Novak has trained, he was on the tennis court, he went to Australia to play tennis. To try and win another Australian Open and win a record that he's been chasing for many years, he had all the documents required of him, he got a medical exemption to travel to Australia.”

While his father Srđan Đoković added: “He's mentally extremely strong, a fantastic young man who never offended anybody, he always tries to help and not harm.”

While Djokovic’s mother Dijana claims her son suffered “torture” while staying at an immigration facility.

“Thank you for coming. We’re here to celebrate our son Novak, a boy who in his family learned not to put up with lies and cheating. He always fought for justice. He’s done nothing wrong, he hasn’t broken any of their laws and he was subjected to torture, to harassment.

“He fought against that system and the government because he thought he had the right to be there and he went there to win the tournament.

“This was extremely difficult and these six days we have tried to fight for him, to make sure the voice is heard around the world. There’s been a spectrum emotions: sadness, fear, disappointment, there have been moments when he didn’t have his phone with him. There are moments we didn’t know if he was OK, if he’d eaten, if he was safe. Those are the moments I will not get over quickly, I think every mother in the world will understand me.

“We all fought to show justice has been done. Thank God there is still justice in this world. I think this is his biggest win in his career, bigger than any grand slams.”