Throwing a racket into the CROWD, hosting the disastrous Adria Tour and being disqualified from the US Open for injuring a line judge… after being denied entry to Australia, Sportsmail looks at the lengthy rap sheet of anti-vaxx Novak Djokovic
- Novak Djokovic has a history of controversial episodes throughout his career
- His latest controversy has seen him denied entry to Australia by the government
- In 2019 he gained headlines after he threw his racket in the crowd in Monte Carlo
- Djokovic, who is unvaccinated, was heavily criticised for hosting the Adria Tour
- Sportsmail looks at some of the most noteworthy controversies in his career
Novak Djokovic is being sent back to Serbia after being denied entry into Australia.
Late on Wednesday it was confirmed that the Australian government had rejected his visa, forcing him to leave the country with immediate effect.
The unvaccinated world No 1 now looks set to issue a legal challenge after he underwent an eight-hour airport stand-off as his papers were scrutinised.
It is reported that his team applied for a visa that does not support vaccine exemption on medical grounds.
In light of his deportation from Australia, Sportsmail runs through the Serbian star’s rap sheet of his greatest controversies…
Novak Djokovic has added to his list of controversies by being denied entry into Australia
MONTE CARLO MELTDOWN (April 2019)
The Serb started hammering his racket into the clay and eventually threw it into the crowd, luckily not injuring any fans.
He was angered at repeatedly being broken by the ageing Philipp Kohlschreiber.
ROW WITH UMPIRE… AND THE CROWD (January 2020)
Djokovic argued with a chair umpire, yelled at spectators and struck a ball into the stadium roof at the ATP Cup.
He was annoyed by decisions and the crowd’s noise during rallies.
‘THE GRAND SLAM OF COVID’ (June 2020)
He claimed there was a media witch-hunt against him after he was slammed for organising a tournament during the Covid peak of 2020.
The Adria Tour saw pictures of the Serb, not socially distanced, with stars such as Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev.
The Tour was curtailed after Djokovic and at least five others contracted Covid.
Djokovic (far right) hosted the Adria Tour in his native Serbia in June 2020 but the tournament was ended prematurely as a number of the participants contracted Covid
Djokovic (left centre) and fellow tennis stars partied in a Belgrade nightclub in June 2020, with some of the players taking their shirts off during the riotous evening with no social distancing
US OPEN DISQUALIFICATION (September 2020)
His most shocking episode saw him kicked out of Flushing Meadows after swiping a ball towards female line judge Laura Clark’s throat.
Djokovic pleaded that the woman was not seriously hurt but was disqualified in the fourth round to end his unbeaten 2020.
NOVAK AGAINST THE ESTABLISHMENT (June 2021)
He created the Professional Tennis Players Association after resigning from the ATP Council. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were openly against the move.
ANTI-VACCINE STANCE (2020-Onwards)
Djokovic has been repeatedly vilified for this.
He has refused to wear a mask while walking on to court and he was denied entry to Australia on Wednesday night as he could not provide ‘standard of proof’ to get into the country.
Line judge Laura Clark was struck in the throat when Djokovic sliced a ball angrily toward her
While the action was not deliberate to injury, it remains one of his most controversial moments
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