Tennis: Novak Djokovic has no one to blame but himself

Novak Djokovic during a practice session ahead of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. Photo / Getty

OPINION:

Was it the right call? Australian officials have earned plenty of criticism for their inconsistencies over the past week, but by cancelling Novak Djokovic's visa for a second time on Friday, they have delivered a judgment on his monumentally headstrong, often selfish approach to life.

When Djokovic published an Instagram statement on Wednesday – a statement trying to explain his curious movements in mid-December – first thoughts were that it was shaky and unconvincing, but that it would also probably be enough to save him. He is, after all, the best player the game has seen. And on a wider front, the lessons of recent history suggest that the wealthy and powerful are increasingly able to bend reality to their will.

But perhaps the pandemic offers a shift in this trend. Everyone has had to make some kind of sacrifice in the last couple of years. And with his science-free ramblings and wilful disregard of safety protocols, Djokovic has become a lightning rod for the frustrations of Australia – the world's most locked-down nation.

In hindsight, Djokovic would have been better off accepting the initial verdict of the border guards and withdrawing with a scintilla of dignity. At least then we would only have considered him to be a stubborn vaccine sceptic who had tried to enter Australia by the back door.

Now he has contorted himself into some painful positions in his efforts to play in Melbourne. He has revealed far more information about his case than he ever intended – including the date of his supposed PCR test. Above all, he has been forced to acknowledge an "error of judgment" in proceeding to an interview with a French journalist on Dec 18 despite being Covid positive and knowing it. These are stains which will not wash out.

Even now, this saga is far from over. Djokovic has once again declined to swallow his medicine and finally fly home. His lawyers swung back into action, presenting Judge Anthony Kelly - the same man who reprieved him on Monday - with a fresh set of arguments. It is not in his nature to back down from any kind of challenge, but by hanging around, Djokovic risks further penalties. Having already trashed his reputation in Australia, he could still be subject to a three-year discretionary ban from these borders – a sentence regularly handed out to those who attempt to enter the country without the proper paperwork.

And then there is the Australian Open to think about. At this stage, Djokovic's withdrawal would lead to a reshuffle of the top seeds, with world No 5 Andrey Rublev taking over his place in the top line of the draw. But things become more and more complicated as we move closer to the start of play, scheduled for 11am on Monday.

The 400-odd other tennis pros in Australia have mostly accepted a back seat to Djokovic's in-out immigration drama over the past week. On Tuesday, Andy Murray expressed frustration that he was facing questions over this political wrangle rather than his own dominant victory over Viktor Durasovic. The longer we keep arguing over the rights and wrongs of Djokovic's case, the less oxygen remains in the room for the actual sport.