“Little Bit of Mess”: Vijay Amritraj on How Novak Djokovic’s Issue Was Handled Leading to the Australian Open 2022

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic had to undergo a dramatic court battle before the start of the Australian Open 2022. Recently, Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj was asked what he thought about the whole issue, in an interview. Amongst other things, he shared his two cents about the controversy.

Border officials detained the Serbian when he landed in Melbourne, due to issues with his visa and medical exemption. After his stay at the detention centre, a judge quashed the government’s stance that Djokovic’s visa should be cancelled, and he was allowed to leave the detention facility. However, days after this decision, the Australian Immigration minister Alex Hawke cancelled the World No. 1’s visa again.

The Serbian superstar’s team appealed against this decision, but another ruling denied him the opportunity to defend his title at the Australian Open 2022. Following the final hearing, he returned to his home country immediately.

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Amritraj comments on the Novak Djokovic saga, says sports come second to the country

Vijay Amritraj has been an integral part of the ATP circuit. He has covered and commentated on some of the most important matches of recent times. He was asked to share his thoughts on the way the Novak Djokovic visa saga unfolded. “Well, it’s a great pity the way it turned out because obviously, we want to see the best players in the tournament at every event. That’s the whole idea of the Grand Slams and the masters 1000,” he said.

“We all understand the importance of it… but at the end of the day, country comes first. Sport comes second, it’s always been that way and the country has to make decisions that are in the best interest of its own citizens,” he added.

He also mentioned that he felt sport, like music, was a tool through which gaps between communities and groups can be bridged. He felt that the way Australia dealt with Djokovic’s issue was messy, but reiterated that it was the country and the government’s decision to impose rules.

“This one got into a little bit of mess the week before and that was really really unfortunate. But from a tennis perspective, sure, we miss all the best players who do not participate. We certainly miss Federer, we certainly missed Djokovic from a tennis perspective, but you have to go along with exactly what is important for the country hosting the event,” he said.

What do you make of the Novak Djokovic scenario?