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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
Djoker's 'shameful' deportation and why Aussies don't like him
SEN • January 13th, 2026 9:20 am
Without the shameful drama of being deported during the COVID-19 pandemic, Novak Djokovic would have far more support in Australia, according to Paul McNamee.
This month will mark four years since the 24-time grand slam champion was sensationally taken by border force and kicked out of the country after being found in breach of COVID-19 laws.
At the start of January 2022, Djokovic arrived in Australia ahead of the opening grand slam of the year and was immediately taken to a hotel detention centre after failing to provide evidence of being vaccinated or a medical exemption.
He was forced to leave the country on “health and good order grounds” but the move sparked a diplomatic row between Australia and Serbia.
Djokovic had always played the “villain” role in the “big three” with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal but the deportation saga only exacerbated the collapse of his popularity – particularly in Australia.
“I think the Olympic gold cemented his status from a respect perspective,” former Australian Open tournament director McNamee said. “I don’t think there’s an issue with respect anymore.
“His record is the greatest. There’s no doubt about that.
“But popularity? No not as much. I have spent a lot of time with Novak, he is so popular in the Balkans, I see the opposite in compared to the west. He is loved in that part of the world.
“The thing for Aussies is he just has a bit of drama. It rubs Aussies the wrong way. I like Novak - I know him personally. He is a very good guy, but he rubs Aussies the wrong way.
“His mannerisms are not our thing. He is a good bloke. The way we treated him by kicking him out during COVID, I was ashamed. The healthiest guy on the planet we kicked him out. It was a shocker.”
With 10 Australian Open titles to his name and 24 in total, Djokovic is the outright leader when it comes to major titles won across men’s and women’s tennis.
But what are the chances of an 11th?
“He made the semis of all four last year but was beaten badly in all four,” McNamee said.
“The year before he won the Olympics but that’s a three-set match. Backing up five sets matches makes it very unlikely, to be honest he needs the other two (Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner) to lose somewhere.
“He’s very competitive but backing up the five sets is hard. This maybe be the last time we see him, who knows. He says he wants to go through until the 2028 Olympics, making semis is fine but if he starts dropping off it will be harder for him.”
So if Djokovic is not the man to back this year, who is?
“Carlos Alcaraz, he is saving the sport,” according to McNamee. “We haven’t seen the best of him yet. He is a chess master. He took the best from Roger, Rafa and Djokovic.
“He plays chess. Jannik Sinner is a typical modern-day player who is playing the style of Djoker. I struggle with Sinner’s style.
“Alcaraz is already a better player on grass and hard courts than Rafa, but on clay Rafa is a great champion. On clay there will never be another Nadal.”
