Rafael Nadal on Novak Djokovic's deportation: 'Situation has been a mess'

The Novak Djokovic visa saga was finally brought to an end on Sunday after almost 12 days when he was deported from Australia just one day before he was scheduled to play at the Australian Open 2022. The first Grand Slam of the year was mired in controversy over this incident but it has come to an end now. Despite protests against the Australian Government in Melbourne, Canberra stuck to its rules and deported the Serbian tennis star.

Fellow tennis legend, Rafael Nadal played his first game of the Australian Open 2022 on Monday and progressed to the next round with ease. He was asked about the Djokovic incident and the Spanish star responded by saying that he is on the side of whatever 'justice' says.

"Almost one week ago when he won in the first instance, the case, he was able to get back his visa and was practising. I said the justice has spoken. If the justice says his visa is valid and he's able to play here, the justice has spoken, so that's the fairest thing, that he deserves to play here. Yesterday, the justice said another thing. I will never be against what the justice says," said Nadal in the on-court interview after his first-round win in Australia.

Novak Djokovic Deported: Rafael Nadal calls incident 'a mess'

Nadal called the incident of Djokovic's deportation 'a mess' and said that Djokovic was himself also responsible for it. "I think the situation has been a mess," said Nadal, adding, "He's not the only one that did probably things bad in that case. Of course, there is more responsible in all this terrible situation that we faced for the last two weeks. But of course, he is one of those responsible."

Despite this, Nadal said, "The ideal situation in the world of sport is that the best players are on the court and playing the most important events, without a doubt. If Novak Djokovic is playing here, (it) is better for everybody, no doubt about that."

Novak Djokovic Deported: How the whole incident played out

The 20-time Grand Slam champion had announced two weeks ago that he would be participating in the upcoming Australian Open after receiving a 'medical exemption' to enter the country for not revealing his vaccination status. However, his visa was revoked on his arrival in Melbourne as he failed to obtain the right visa for the medical exemption that he was granted. Djokovic was held at the Melbourne airport overnight and was supposed to be 'removed' from the country. But he decided to challenge the decision by appealing in the Australian Federal Court, following which his visa was reinstated.

Djokovic submitted in the court that he had tested positive for COVID-19 prior to landing in Australia which is the reason why he did not take the vaccine and was given an exemption. The saga witnessed a fresh twist on Friday, January 14, after Australian Minister for Immigration, Alex Hawke, revoked his visa for the second time on the basis that it was in the public interest. The Australian Minister for Immigration, issued a statement on January 14 stating that he exercised his right to cancel the visa of Novak Djokovic on the basis that it was in the interest of the public. He was deported late on Sunday from Australia.

(Image: AP)