Serbian President reveals conversation with Novak Djokovic over ‘scandalous’ decision

Serbian officials are furious at the way Novak Djokovic has been treated after the world No.1 was denied a chance to play at next week’s Australian Open.

Djokovic, who is unvaccinated against Covid-19, failed to overturn a decision from the government to cancel his visa on public health grounds and on Sunday was officially deported from Australia.

It spelled the end of a dramatic 11 days that saw the world No.1 spend time in a detention hotel as his lawyers presented his case to enter the country having been granted a medical exemption to play at the tournament.

Back home in Serbia his family have been critical of the Australian government’s handling of the situation and Serbia’s Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic accused the authorities of ‘harassing’ Djokovic and called the court ruling ‘a farce.’

Vucic revealed he’d spoken to Djokovic on the morning of the court ruling and told the 34-year-old ‘we can´t wait to see him in Serbia, to return to his country, to come where he is always welcome.

‘They think they humiliated Djokovic with this, the best player in the world, by the ten-day harassment, they humiliated themselves and Djokovic can return to his country with his head high up and look everyone in the eye.’

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic also slammed Djokovic’s failed attempt to overturn a decision from the government to cancel his visa on public health grounds.

‘I think the decision is scandalous,’ Brnabic said.

‘I´m disappointed and I think it showed how the rule of law functions in some other countries, that is how the rule of law does not function. It is incredible to me how we have two totally opposed court decisions within just a few days.

‘As the head of the government of the…