Vucic, Belgrade residents voice Djokovic support

Djokovic spent a day confined to a Melbourne hotel waiting for a court ruling and dealing with the prospect of deportation from Australia because of an issue related to his visa application.The country denied him entry and canceled his visa because he failed to meet the requirements for an exemption to COVID-19 vaccination rules.On the streets of Belgrade, ordinary people said they support the 20-time major champion from Serbia.

Residents of Belgrade voiced support for Novak Djokovic after the tennis star's chance to play for a 10th Australian Open title was thrown into limbo Thursday. Djokovic spent a day confined to a Melbourne hotel waiting for a court ruling and dealing with the prospect of deportation from Australia because of an issue related to his visa application.

The country denied him entry and canceled his visa because he failed to meet the requirements for an exemption to COVID-19 vaccination rules.

On the streets of Belgrade, ordinary people said they support the 20-time major champion from Serbia. ''It is a part of an orchestrated campaign against Novak Djokovic,'' said Jovo Fitovic, a resident of Belgrade. With his visa cancelled by Australian Border Force officials who rejected his evidence to support a medical exemption from the country's strict COVID-19 vaccination rules, Djokovic had to trade the practice courts for the law courts on Thursday.

Djokovic has not disclosed if he is vaccinated against the coronavirus.

''I hope that Novak will be victorious, in any case, that he will win both his case in court and the (Australia Open) championship,'' said Belgrade resident Jasna Sesa. After announcing on social media Tuesday that he had ''exemption permission,'' Djokovic landed in Melbourne late Wednesday thinking he had Victoria state approval that would shield him from the regulations requiring all players, fans and staff to be fully vaccinated to attend the Australian Open, which starts on Jan. 17.

That would have been OK to enter the tournament, but apparently not the country.

After a long-haul flight, Djokovic spent the night trying to convince the authorities he had all the necessary documentation, but the Australian Border Force issued a statement saying he failed to meet entry requirements.