After being deported: Novak Djokovic boarded a plane to Dubai

After a long legal fight, the story ended. Novak Djokovic left Australia for Dubai on Sunday, thus losing the opportunity to defend his title at the season’s Australian Open after a court authorized the cancellation of his visa and his deportation for not being vaccinated.

”I can confirm that Djokovic has already left Australia”Immigration Minister Alex Hakwe declared on Twitter, who on Friday used his powers to cancel the athlete’s visa for the second time.

The decision was made unanimously by the three judges on the court and, with it, the Serbian tennis player’s hopes of winning his 21st Grand Slam title will be left for another Grand Slam.

“I’m very disappointed”Djokovic said in a statement. “I respect the decision of the court and will cooperate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country”, he added shortly before leaving Melbourne.

“Now I’m going to take some time to rest and recover,” said the player, whose career could be seriously affected after the ruling.

Notably, Djokovic was granted permission to leave the detention center where he was booked on Saturday and watched the four-hour hearing online from his lawyers’ offices in Melbourne. In his findings in court on Saturday, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke had argued that Djokovic’s presence in the country was “probably a health risk.”

On the other hand, under the law, Djokovic additionally faces a ban from returning to the country for three years, except for certain exceptions, which may include “compelling circumstances affecting Australia’s interests”.