NOVAK Djokovic has been named as the top seed for the Australian Open despite facing deportation.
The tennis star is facing a barrage of new questions amid claims the he broke Covid rules in three countries.
He still faces deportation from Australian over not being vaccinated and for submitting a false travel declaration.
The draw for the tournament had been scheduled to take place at 3pm local time but was abruptly postponed.
That sparked speculation that Australian Prime Minister was about to announced the 34-year-old Serbian was to be deported after a cabinet meeting.
But minutes later, Mr Morrison said the investigation into Djokovic’s visit to Australia were still ongoing and it was up to Immigration Minister Alex Hawke to make the final decision.
The minister was sifting through a mountain of evidence from the player’s lawyers, who are desperately fighting for him to stay in the country for the grand slam, the PM added.
“These are personal ministerial powers able to be exercised by Minister Alex Hawke and I don’t propose to make any further comment at this time,” Mr Morrison said.
Tournament organisers then announced Djokovic will face fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the tournament unless the government moves to deport him.
In a statement, Mr Hawke’s office said they were looking over further information provided by Djokovic’s legal team.
“Mr Djokovic’s lawyers have recently provided lengthy further submissions and supporting documentation said to be relevant to the possible cancellation of Mr Djokovic’s visa,” they said.
“Naturally, this will affect the time frame for a decision.”
It comes as it emerged Djokovic may have broken Spain’s emergency travel rules when he visited Marbella last month, a report claims.
The Daily Mail says the 20-time Grand Slam champion may have fallen foul of the country’s entry requirements.
Spanish diplomatic sources are said to have confirmed that Djokovic failed to seek approval before leaving Belgrade after Christmas. The government last night ordered an investigation.
TOP SEED
Djokovic’s PR team has declined to comment, citing the case’s “sensitivity and complexity”.
The Serb admitted he broke isolation rules after testing positive for Covid-19 and said it was an “error of judgement”.
In an Instagram post the Serbian tennis star has confessed that he met with a journalist two days after he tested positive in Belgrade, before his arrival Down Under.
He wrote: “I want to emphasise that I have tried very hard to ensure the safety of everyone and my compliance with testing obligations.
“I attended a basketball game in Belgrade on December 14 after which it was reported that a number of people tested positive with Covid-19.
“Despite having no Covid symptoms, I took a rapid antigen test on December 16 which was negative, and out of an abundance of caution, also took an official and approved PCR test on that same day.
LEGAL BATTLE
“The next day I attended a tennis event in Belgrade to present awards to children and took a rapid antigen test before going to the event, it was negative.
“I was asymptomatic and felt good, and I had not received the notification of a positive PCR test until after that event.
“The next day on Decemeber 18 I was at my tennis centre in Belgrade to fulfil a long-standing commitment for a L’Equipe interview and photoshoot. I cancelled all other events.
“I felt obliged to go ahead and conduct the L’Equipe interview as I didn’t want to let the journalist down.
“[I ensured] I socially distanced and wore a mask except when my photograph was being taken.”
Djokovic’s statement also addressed the huge error in his travel declaration, published by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia earlier this week.
The anti-vaxxer ticked a box claiming he had not travelled to any other countries in the 14 days prior to his departure for the Australian Open in Melbourne.
He attributed it to “human error” on behalf of his agent.
“On the issue of my travel declaration, this was submitted by my support team on my behalf – as I told immigration officials on my arrival – and my agent sincerely apologises for the administrative mistake in ticking the incorrect box about my previous travel before coming to Australia.”
“This was a human error and certainly not deliberate. We are living in challenging times in a global pandemic and sometimes these mistakes can occur.”
