'My Stomach Was In Knots': Djokovic On Arriving On Infamous Melbourne Terminal

| by Nurein Ahmed

Novak Djokovic has shared a story of an unpleasant feeling following his arrival at the 2024 Australian Open using the same airport terminal as 2022.

Two years ago, Djokovic landed in Australia with a vaccine exemption document while the world grappled with the coronavirus pandemic. The unvaccinated Djokovic was caught in a storm upon arriving at Melbourne Airport to play the first Grand Slam of 2022.

He was barred from entering the country by immigration officials and spent five nights at an immigration detention centre before he presented his case in court. However, he lost the case after the Australian government canceled his visa on "health and good order" grounds.

Djokovic was infamously deported and did not defend his title that season. The Serbian star has since managed to evoke the memories from two years ago when he walked through the same terminal upon landing in Melbourne to play the 112th edition of the Australian Open.

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Djokovic revealed to Serbian media, as reported on Tennis Majors, that he felt his stomach in "knots" having to walk down the hallway, although he did not visit the site where he was locked up for nearly a week before his case could be heard.

"No, I haven’t been there. Last year I flew to Adelaide first, so we landed at another terminal in Melbourne. When I came this year, we landed at the same terminal as in 2022 – I saw the whole path I went over that day, the immigration office, I even recognized a man who was there two years ago. It did not feel, my stomach was in knots."

That year's series of events garnered the world's attention. There were threats of a possible spillover that would result in diplomatic tensions between Djokovic's native Serbia and Australia after the Serbian president publicly criticized Australian authorities for tormenting and torturing their legend.

Despite living through the horror and one of the most challenging periods of his life, Djokovic emerged with his principles intact and returned to win the Australian for the 10th time in 2023.

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