Novak Djokovic news: Reaction from Andy Murray, Nick Kyrgios, Greg Rusedski on the ‘s***show’

Andy Murray has labelled Novak Djokovic’s deportation from Australia “a s***show” while Nick Kyrgios has also expressed his unhappiness with the situation.
One of the most extraordinary episodes in tennis history ended with the Federal Court of Australia upholding the decision of the country’s Immigration Minister to cancel Djokovic’s visa for a second time.
The nine-time Australian Open champion found himself in a fight with the government from the moment he landed in Melbourne last week as a political storm raged over an exemption allowing him into the country despite being unvaccinated against coronavirus.
🤦🏽♂️
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 16, 2022
Now he is heading home, leaving the rest of the players and the tournament to try to bring the focus back to tennis.
Giving his reaction, Murray told the BBC: “Novak is someone I have known since we were 12 years old, he is someone who I respect and have competed against. I don’t like he is in this situation and I don’t like he has been in detention.
“The situation has not been good all round for anyone. Hopefully, from all sides, from the tournament and from Novak, we can make sure this doesn’t happen at any other tournaments and that something is in place ahead of time.
“It feels everything here happened extremely last minute and that’s why it became such a s***show.”
I know too little to judge the situation.
What I know is that Novak is always the first one to stand for the players. But none of us stood for him.
Be strong @DjokerNole— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) January 16, 2022
Sympathy for Djokovic has been in short supply from both the Australian public and his fellow players, many of whom were reluctant to get vaccinated but did so anyway.
He has found an unlikely ally in Nick Kyrgios, who has been a fierce critic of the 34-year-old on other matters but turned his ire on his country for its treatment of Djokovic.
Kyrgios reacted to the result with a facepalm emoji on Twitter.
France’s Alize Cornet wrote: “I know too little to judge the situation. What I know is that Novak is always the first one to stand for the players. But none of us stood for him. Be strong @DjokerNole.”
Nole always has and always will be class. He’s an absolute legend in my book that has brought so much good to millions around the world. This isn’t right. pic.twitter.com/krTN6pSmOT
— John Isner (@JohnIsner) January 16, 2022
Djokovic founded the Professional Tennis Players’ Association in 2020 alongside Canadian Vasek Pospisil as an organisation to represent solely the players.
The verdict brought support from some of his allies, with John Isner saying on Twitter: “Nole always has and always will be class. He’s an absolute legend in my book that has brought so much good to millions around the world. This isn’t right.”
Pospisil added: “There was a political agenda at play here with the elections coming up which couldn’t be more obvious. This is not his fault. He did not force his way into the country and did not “make his own rules”; he was ready to stay home.”
This whole mess with Novak could have easily been avoided. If the Australian Open and Victorian Government would have said no medical exemptions are allowed to participate @AustralianOpen. You have to be double vaaxed or you cannot participate. Why did this not happen?
— Greg Rusedski (@GregRusedski1) January 16, 2022
Australia is the first country to require mandatory vaccination of players but it will not be the last and, when the dust settles, the big concern within the sport will be to ensure this situation is never allowed to happen again.
Former British number one Greg Rusedski wrote on Twitter: “This whole mess with Novak could have easily been avoided.
“If the Australian Open and Victorian Government would have said no medical exemptions are allowed to participate @AustralianOpen. You have to be double vaaxed or you cannot participate. Why did this not happen?”
Latest
-
News
Mirra Andreeva recalls ‘really stupid move’ after French Open exit
The 16-year-old angrily fired a ball into the crowd during her 6-7 (5) 6-1 6-1 loss to Coco Gauff.
-
French Open
Holger Rune: I haven’t used too much unnecessary energy during the tournament so far
He might get a Casper Ruud rematch.
-
French Open
Andy Murray on Novak Djokovic remark: No athlete should be stopped from freedom of speech
‘Stop violence’ comment continues to court controversy.
-
French Open
Iga Swiatek sorry for being ‘boring’ after bagelling Wang Xinyu
Straight-sets win for defending champion.
-
French Open
Coco Gauff ends 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva’s run at French Open
Gauff maintained her record of never having lost to a younger opponent after fighting back to beat 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva.
-
French Open
Casper Ruud after win over Zhizhen Zhang: He played some sloppy shots
Norwegian overcomes frustration.
-
Tennis News
Rafael Nadal’s expected recovery time revealed following successful hip surgery
Nadal underwent the procedure on Friday evening.
-
French Open
Carlos Alcaraz names one thing he would change in tennis
Carlos Alcaraz not a fan of one aspect of tennis.
-
Tennis News
Rafael Nadal surgery shows ‘he still wants to compete’
Rafael Nadal “still wants to find solutions for his injury” and return to action.
-
French Open
Elena Rybakina latest to succumb to ‘virus here in Paris’ as she pulls out of French Open
A virus forced the fourth seed out minutes before her third-round match.