Tennis star Novak Djokovic had vaccine exemption to enter Australia because of recent COVID-19 infection, lawyers say

• Novak Djokovic's visa to enter Australia was canceled because of issues relating to a vaccine exemption.
• Lawyers for the tennis star claim he had a vaccine exemption because he recently recovered from COVID-19.

Tennis star Novak Djokovic had a vaccine exemption to enter Australia because he recently recovered from COVID-19, his lawyers said in court documents.

The number one men's tennis player's visa was revoked on Wednesday when he arrived at Melbourne Airport to compete in the Australian Open.

Australian border force officials said that Djokovic had "failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia," as the prior infection was not sufficient reason for a medical exemption.

Court documents released on Saturday revealed that the tennis star had tested positive for COVID-19 on 16 December 2021 but had since recovered.

Following his infection, Djokovic received a "medical exemption from Covid vaccination" from an independent panel commissioned by Tennis Australia, which was endorsed by an independent panel of the Victorian State Government, the court documents say.

The 34-year-old player is held at a quarantine facility in Melbourne while his legal team fights his proposed deportation. A decision is due on Monday.

Djokovic, who is from Serbia, has never disclosed his COVID-19 vaccine status but in the past has said he is "opposed to vaccination."

Before Djokovic arrived in Australia, he tweeted that he was "heading Down Under with an exemption permission" to play in the Australian Open.

The news sparked uproar in Australia, where COVID-19 infections are currently soaring, as Australians complained the tennis player was being given special treatment.

In response to the outcry, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that the player would be asked to present his medical exemption from vaccination upon arrival.

"If that evidence is insufficient, then he won't be treated any different to anyone else," Morrison told reporters on Wednesday.

"There should be no special rules for Novak Djokovic at all. None whatsoever."

Amid the Djokovic scandal, the role of Tennis Australia has been questioned. It incorrectly told players that a prior infection would be a reason to exempt them from Australia's vaccine requirements, The Guardian reported.

Tennis Australia gave this advice even after the health department told them on two occasions that exemptions did not exist for those recently infected with COVID-19, the paper said.

​​The Australian Open begins on 17 January in Melbourne, and it is unclear whether Djokovic will be permitted to play.