Melbourne, January 10, 2025: Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic has claimed he was “poisoned” by food consumed during his detention in Melbourne amid the 2022 Australian Open visa controversy. Speaking to GQ in a recent interview, the 24-time Grand Slam champion revealed details about his ordeal during the high-profile saga.
Djokovic’s visa was canceled ahead of the tournament due to his unvaccinated status, leading to days of legal drama surrounding Australia’s strict COVID-19 entry regulations. The former world number one was detained in a Melbourne hotel that also housed asylum seekers.
“I realized that in that hotel in Melbourne, I was fed some food that poisoned me,” Djokovic said. Renowned for his meticulous approach to his diet, he added, “When I returned to Serbia, I discovered I had an alarmingly high level of heavy metals, particularly lead and mercury.”
Australia’s Department of Home Affairs declined to comment on Djokovic’s claims, citing privacy reasons, according to GQ.
In a separate interview with Melbourne’s Herald Sun, Djokovic admitted that the experience left him traumatized, saying he still feels stress when arriving at the city’s airport.
Djokovic recently teamed up with Australian star Nick Kyrgios at the Brisbane International, competing in men’s doubles. The pair’s campaign ended in a narrow 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 loss to top seeds Nikola Mektić and Michael Venus in the round of 16. Despite coming within two points of victory, an untimely double fault in the match tie-break sealed their defeat.
Meanwhile, Kyrgios, returning to competition after wrist surgery in September 2023, lost in men’s singles to Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in a hard-fought contest.
As Djokovic looks ahead, the 37-year-old begins his quest for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open next week.
