Djokovic in Australian Open draw but may still be kicked out

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic practices at Melbourne Park as questions remain over the legal battle regarding his visa to play in the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, January 13, 2022. [Reuters, Loren Elliott]

Tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic was included in the Australian Open draw as top seed on Thursday though the government could still kick him out in a row over COVID-19 vaccination.

The draw was delayed for an hour without explanation, even as Immigration Minister Alex Hawke mulled whether to exercise discretionary powerto cancel Djokovic's visa over concern about his medical exemption from Australia's strict vaccine rules.

Should he still be here, the unvaccinated defending champion will face fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic for his opening match, probably on Monday or Tuesday.

The saga has intensified global debate over rights of choice for vaccines and become a tricky issue for Prime Minister Scott Morrison as he campaigns for re-election. 

Australia is due to hold an election by May, and while Morrison's government has won support at home for its tough stance on border security, it has not escaped criticism over the botched handling of Djokovic's visa.

Melbourne's The Age newspaper said Djokovic would immediately appeal in court any attempt to deport him, with a decision expected on Friday, and tournament organisers preparing contingency plans for a new draw in case.

A source in Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Liberal Party said the government was "strongly leaning" towards revoking the visa again, the newspaper reported.

Djokovic, who practiced again at the Rod Laver Arena on Thursday, fuelled widespread anger in Australia by heading to Melbourne with a medical exemption from requirements for visitors to be inoculated against COVID-19.

On arrival, Australian Border Force decided his exemption was invalid and put him in an immigration detention hotel alongside asylum-seekers at for several days.

A court on Monday allowed him to stay on grounds that officials had been "unreasonable" during the seven-hour interview process in the middle of the night.

The government must now decide whether to let Djokovic remain and bid for a record men's 21st major title.

Australia has endured some of the world's longest lockdowns, has a 90% vaccination rate among adults, and has seen a runaway Omicron outbreak bring nearly a million cases in the last two weeks.

Djokovic's cause was not helped by a wrong entry declaration, where a box was ticked stating he had not travelled abroad in the two weeks before leaving for Australia.