Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic said Monday that he still experiences "trauma" whenever he arrives in Australia, recalling his deportation in 2022 over his refusal to reveal his COVID-19 vaccination status.
"The last couple of times I landed in Australia to go through passport control and immigration, I had a bit of trauma from three years ago," Djokovic told Australian news outlet the Herald Sun.
The former world No. 1 was detained for five days at an immigration hotel and forced to miss the Australian Open that year.
"The person checking my passport — are they going to take me, detain me again, or let me go? I must admit I have that feeling," he added.
Despite the emotional impact, Djokovic returned in 2023 to win his 10th Australian Open title.
"I don't hold a grudge. I came right away the year after, and I won," he noted.
"My parents and whole team were there, and it was actually one of the most emotional wins I've ever had, considering all that I'd been through the year before," said Djokovic.
Now 37, Djokovic is focused on securing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title at the 2025 Australian Open, with rising stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner among his toughest competitors.
The Australian Open, one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, is an annual tennis event held in Melbourne, Australia.
