Novak Djokovic news: World No 1 reportedly set to sue Australian government over ‘ill-treatment’
The Novak Djokovic saga has taken another twist with a report claiming the world No 1 will sue the Australian government following his deportation from the country.
Following an 11-day fight to stay in Australia, the Serbian lost his battle on Sunday as three judges unanimously upheld Immigration Minister Alex Hawke’s decision to revoke his visa for a second time and he was forced to leave the country later in the day.
During his stay in Melbourne, Djokovic spent most of his time at the infamous Park Hotel, which is being used to house asylum-seekers.
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His mother Djina Djokovic claimed that he was being treated “like a prisoner”.
“They are keeping him like a prisoner, it’s just not fair, it’s not human. I hope he will stay strong as we are also trying, to give him some energy to keep going,” Mrs. Djokovic said in an interview at the time.
“His accommodation [is] terrible. It’s just some small, immigration hotel, if it is a hotel at all. With bugs, it’s all dirty, the food is terrible.
“They don’t want to give him a chance to move to a better hotel or a rented house.”
And now The Sun reports that the world’s best tennis player will take legal action against the Australian government for treating him poorly.
It is claimed that he will sue for £3.2million with the figure including £2.3million prize money he would have received had he won the tournament.
A source close to his agent Edoardo Artladi is quoted as saying: “It’s well known that Novak and his family feel he was poorly treated in the quarantine hotel in Melbourne.
“His mother revealed how it was full of fleas and maggots. He was kept a virtual prisoner.”
Lawyer Toma Fila added: “He was subjected to humiliating treatment. He should sue.”