MELBOURNE — Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has revealed to GQ that he believes he was “poisoned” while detained in an immigration facility in Melbourne ahead of the 2022 Australian Open, according to the German news agency dpa.
In an interview published yesterday, the 24-time Grand Slam champion claimed the food he was served at the Melbourne hotel where he was held after his visa was cancelled made him ill.
Djokovic was detained in 2022 after his visa exemption was revoked due to his unvaccinated status, amid Australia’s strict Covid-19 entry regulations at the time.
“I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne, I was fed food that poisoned me,” Djokovic told GQ.
“When I returned to Serbia, I made some discoveries that I’ve never shared publicly. I found out I had extremely high levels of heavy metals, including lead and mercury.”
The Australian Department of Home Affairs declined to comment on the claims, citing privacy concerns.
When asked about Djokovic’s comments on Friday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was not in office during the incident, said: “I haven’t seen those comments, so I’m not going to respond to comments that I haven’t seen. I wish Mr. Djokovic all the very best on the court during the Australian Open.”
Djokovic also claimed his deportation from Australia was politically motivated.
“It was so political. It had nothing to do with vaccines, Covid, or anything else,” he told GQ. “For the politicians, I think it was less damaging to deport me than to keep me there.”
Despite his deportation and his family’s resentment over the incident, Djokovic insists he holds no grudge against Australia.
“I actually love being there,” he said. “My results are a testament to my feelings about playing tennis and just being in that country.”
The 37-year-old is preparing to compete for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, which begins on Sunday.
He has already won the Melbourne title a record 10 times, including his most recent victory in 2023. — January 10, 2025