(CNN)Even by the standards of Novak Djokovic’s eventful tennis career – crammed with trophies and stunning performances, but also peppered with controversy – the circumstances leading up to this year’s Australian Open were extraordinary.
“I see life as a great learning curve,” Djokovic said in an interview with CNN last year, “and I feel like over the years I’ve learned how to recover.”
That ability to recover will be put to the test in the coming days as the world No. 1 continues to endure a tumultuous start to the year.
Arriving in Australia unvaccinated but with a medical exemption to compete on December 16 after testing positive for Covid-19, Djokovic spent his first five days in a Melbourne detention center as he took legal action to have his visa revoked .
His lawyers successfully argued that Djokovic, with his recent Covid infection, had “absolutely ticked every box” to be exempted from the vaccination, but four days later Australia’s Immigration Minister Alex Hawke announced the decision to waive Djokovic’s visa a second time “on grounds deprive of health and good order”.
It remains unclear if Australia will deport Djokovic as the decision is being challenged by his legal team.
But it’s another setback for the 34-year-old Serb in his bid to break away from Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer at the top of the men’s all-time list of 21 Grand Slam titles.
Such an achievement would arguably be the crowning moment of Djokovic’s already record-breaking career – the period in which he cements his status as the best player in men’s football history.
“Strictly speaking, Novak Djokovic is the best player in the history of professional men’s tennis,” he said Journalist Ben Rothenberg.
“He’s level with Federer and Nadal in most Grand Slam titles, but Djokovic dominates pretty much every tiebreak category you can think of: No. 1 most weeks, a win record against the other two after winning at least every Grand Slam and Masters 1000 events twice (no one has won them all once, not once).
“Djokovic is a counterattacker with a great serve, an exceptionally flexible athlete, and while he’s probably not a popular pick for the most stylistically appealing player of all time when it comes to who’s most effective and dominant on the court the longest of times, he’s your type.”
Djokovic’s phenomenal record at the Australian Open, a tournament he has won nine times, had made him the favorite ahead of this year’s tournament, even taking his prison time into account.
Nadal reinforced his return from injury last week by winning the 89th career title at the Melbourne Summer Set 1 tournament, while Daniil Medvedev, who defeated Djokovic in last year’s US Open final, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas were also contenders for the titles will be titles.
“Novak is Serbia and Serbia is Novak”
But few would have bet against Djokovic, who has garnered vocal support from his fans throughout his Visa saga – both in Melbourne and in his native Serbia.
Crowds gathered outside Melbourne’s Park Hotel last week to protest Djokovic’s stay there, while chants of support were heard outside his lawyers’ office after he was given permission to stay in Australia.
There were similar scenes in front of the Serbian National Assembly in Belgrade, where the tennis star was celebrated as a national hero by his family.
“They’re holding him captive. Our Novak, our pride,” Djokovic’s father Srdjan scolded last week in support of his son. “Novak is Serbia, and Serbia is Novak… They trample on Novak, and so they trample on Serbia and the Serbian people.”
Despite the passionate support of his fanbase, Djokovic remains a divisive figure – within the tennis community and beyond.
He has spoken out against mandatory vaccinations and the decision to grant him a Therapeutic Use Exemption for the Australian Open has drawn criticism; Stephen Parnis, one of the city’s most prominent emergency doctors, said it was “an appalling message to the public”.
“Obviously I’m no expert and I’m not going to talk about what the pros and cons of vaccination are,” Djokovic told CNN in August, “but I’m a pro-choice advocate.”
He added: “I really believe it should be left to a player to make a decision.
“We don’t know what the future will bring. I don’t think any industry is really sure what the future will bring.
“We will ensure that we gather as much expert information (as possible) on this and work with players and provide them with all the information they need to make an informed choice.”
Meanwhile, questions have also been raised about Djokovic’s actions following his positive Covid test last month.
On Wednesday, he admitted he did not immediately isolate himself after the positive result, but denied knowing he had the virus at public events.
He also said he made an “error of judgement” when he did a media interview and photoshoot with French outlet L’Equipe on December 18, two days after his positive test.
“I still have my fears, my insecurities”
It’s not the first time Djokovic’s actions have been questioned during the pandemic.
In June 2020, his Adria Tour exhibition event was canceled after he tested positive for Covid-19 along with his wife, three other players, three coaches and a player’s pregnant wife.
Unlike other tennis tournaments held at the time, there was limited social distancing at the Adria Tour, which was played in crowded stadiums where players hugged and high-fived.
“I am deeply sorry that our tournament has caused damage,” Djokovic said after his positive test, adding that the charity event was organized “with a pure heart and sincere intentions”.
Nine months before the Adria Tour, Djokovic landed in hot water when he was banned from the US Open for hitting a linesman with a ball. He apologized again and said he was “sad and empty” of the situation.
When Djokovic spoke about that time in an interview with CNN last year, he reflected on the lessons learned.
“I’m still human like everyone else, I still have my fears, my insecurities, I still make mistakes and mistakes,” he said. “Tennis is something like my field of study. My strongest and most beautiful feelings come up there, but all of my worst feelings come up there.”
During and after this year’s Australian Open, Djokovic’s stance on vaccines will likely continue to be questioned. He is one of three unvaccinated players listed in the top 100, according to the ATP Tour.
“Djokovic’s legacy is massively complicated and only getting more complicated,” Rothenberg said
“For all his professionalism and generosity (he’s great with charities and dealing with his fans), his judgment often gets him in trouble and often leads him to… marginal ideas, like his recent anti-vaccine campaign.”
“Tennis is so much about personalities and grace on and off the court and Djokovic has repeatedly sabotaged himself in those areas.”
CNN has repeatedly reached out to Djokovic’s representative for comment ahead of the Australian Open, but has received no response.
Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2008, after which he had to wait three years for his next big triumph, again at the Australian Open.
Grand Slam titles – 11 in all – came thick and fast in the six years between 2011 and 2016, culminating in Djokovic claiming the “Nole Slam” as the defending champion of all four Grand Slam tournaments simultaneously.
But an elbow injury in 2017 derailed Djokovic’s progress. His initial reluctance to undergo surgery frustrated his former coach Andre Agassi, who told The Guardian he thought Djokovic was hoping his elbow would “heal naturally and holistically”.
Djokovic eventually opted for surgery in early 2018 and returned to the court a few months later, but it was a setback that nearly saw him give up tennis altogether.
“Performing the operation was against his core values,” his wife Jelena told CNN in 2019. “It was really huge, it’s like he buried a part of him with that decision. He said, ‘I’m done, I’m not playing tennis anymore, I lost that, I’m not having fun anymore, that’s it.'”
Since that elbow surgery, Djokovic has won eight Grand Slam titles in a four-year period, ultimately equaling the record set by Federer and Nadal at Wimbledon last year.
Many believe it is only a matter of time before he finally owns the record and establishes himself as the greatest player in men’s tennis history – a titan on the court with a complicated, controversial legacy.
CNN’s Christina Macfarlane, Don Riddell, Ben Church, Hannah Ritchie, Jessie Yeung and Angus Watson contributed coverage.
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