Novak Djokovic saga: Australia investigates visas of other tennis players

The caption is media.

Fans of Novak Djokovic gathered outside the player's hotel to show their support.

Australia is investigating the visas of other foreign tennis players after detaining Novak Djokovic in a chaotic row over vaccine rules.

The world's number one is in immigration detention in Melbourne and is facing deportation after his entry was denied on Wednesday.

He launched an urgent court challenge to be heard on Monday, a week before the Australian Open begins.

There is more uncertainty surrounding the tournament schedule.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews told Channel 9 on Friday that there was intelligence to suggest that some people have not met the entry requirements.

She didn't say how many other players were under investigation.

The tennis star was not being held captive.

She said that Border Force would facilitate that, because he is free to leave at any time.

Many Australians were angry at the decision to grant a medical exemption to play in the tournament for reasons that are not clear.

Tennis Australia, the body that runs the event, and the state of Victoria gave the exemption.

The Serbian player failed to provide appropriate evidence at the airport.

"If he hasn't filled out the forms correctly then he's taking the capacity of another nation for a joke," said the deputy prime minister.

If someone hasn't told the truth, then the person who made the mistake is Mr Djokovic.

Tennis Australia ignored advice from the ABF about the requirements for entry. Victoria said Tennis Australia had failed to pass on the advice.

Scott Morrison is accused of politicising the issue. A federal election is likely to be held in May, as the prime minister is under pressure due to the surge of Covid-19 infections.

The whole of Serbia supported Novak Djokovic, according to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who said that he was a victim of "harassment".

The visa cancellation was not due to any particular position in relation to Serbia, according to Mr Morrison.

It's not clear how long the immigration detainer hotel will hold Novak Djokovic. Serbia wants Australia to move him to a nicer hotel.

There are a lot of emotions outside the hotel where Novak Djokovic is being kept. His supporters were there all night.

Some people wrote "stay strong" on the pavement. Others lit candles.

A woman told me that it was Christmas on Friday. He will be alone up there. It's a farce.

There are a lot of strands to this story. The anger. The politics. There is a visa. The world number one is here for tennis.

Fans of the Serbian tennis player are angry that he was allowed to come all the way to Australia only to be told he had to leave on a visa technicality.

Other Australians are angry that a world-class athlete who has been vocal about his vaccine opposition was granted an exemption, while their own politicians have urged them to get both jabs and the booster.

Both shades of anger are understandable and they have at least one thing in common: fury about how the authorities have handled this.

The state and federal governments have been at odds with Tennis Australia.

Politicians wanted to prove that they can control who comes in and out of the country but they lost control of the narrative.

It's an embarrassment for Australia, either way.

Jelena thanked people all around the world for using their voice to send love to her husband.

The player's father, Srdjan, said that his son had been held in a room guarded by police at the airport and that it was a fight for the whole world.

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios supported Novak and said how we are handling his situation is bad.

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal said it was normal for Australians to be very frustrated with the case.

He said that if you are vaccine free, you can play in the Australian Open.

The Australian Open will be held in January. The Serbian has won the tournament nine times.