Novak Djokovic's dad falsely claimed that his son was arrested just moments after his release from Australian detention

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Novak Djokovic's dad falsely claimed that his son was arrested just moments after his release from Australian detention
Srdjan Djokovic falsely claimed that his son was arrested Monday.Getty/Srdjan Stevanovic
  • Novak Djokovic's father claimed that his son was arrested just moments after being released.
  • Australian media reports say that this claim was false, and that Djokovic is now free.
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Novak Djokovic's father falsely claimed that his son was arrested just moments after being released from immigration detention.

The Serbian tennis star had spent four days being held at the Park Hotel in Melbourne after his visa was revoked by the Australian Border Force as he tried to enter the country in the early hours of Thursday.

He was released on Monday, however, after an Australian judge ruled that the cancellation of his visa was "unreasonable."

Shortly after he was released, however, journalist Ksenija Pavlovic McAteer tweeted to say that Djokovic's father, Srdjan, had told her that the 34-year-old had been arrested.

McAteer later tweeted to say that Srdjan had told her that Djokovic had refused to leave the country and now with his lawyers.

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"Novak won't leave Australia," McAteer said Srjdan told her. "He will continue to fight this and stay in prison as long as it's needed."

Djokovic's brother, Djordje, echoed his father's statements to Serbian outlet Sportklub, saying: "What we can do is to let this be known all over social media — they want to capture and lock up Novak again.

"We're currently consulting with PRs about next steps. He is at the moment with his lawyers in the room they were during the hearing, thinking about options."

Djokovic's family has used hyperbolic language on a number of occasions during his Australian detention saga, with Srdjan last week comparing his son to classical hero Spartacus and calling him a "leader of the libertarian world."

Novak Djokovic's dad falsely claimed that his son was arrested just moments after his release from Australian detention
Srdjan Djokovic seen with son Novak.Marko Metlas/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

According to Melbourne newspaper The Age, however, reports of Djokovic's arrest are inaccurate.

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"Media reports from Europe quote Djokovic's family members alleging he has been re-arrested at his lawyers' office in Melbourne's CBD," wrote the outlet.

"However, the four sources including some from the federal government insist this isn't the case. There are no Border Force or federal police officers at the foot of the CBD tower Djokovic is located in."

Victoria Police did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment late in the Australian evening Monday.

Despite Djokovic's visa having been reinstated on Monday, the threat of deportation is still looming over the 20-time Grand Slam champion.

The final decision on whether the world number one may stay in Australia and compete in the Australian Open, which begins on January 17, now lies with Australia's minister for immigration and migrant services, Alex Hawke.

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Hawke could use his discretionary power to cancel Djokovic's visa and bar him from entering the country for up to three years.

Hawke said on Monday, according to Melbourne court reporter Karen Sweeney, that "he's still considering a decision and the process is ongoing." A decision is expected early Tuesday local time.

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