All to play for as Djokovic returns to detention

Clinging to his dream of winning a record 21st major title at the Australian Open, tennis world number one Novak Djokovic returned to an all too familiar immigration detention hotel on Saturday, waiting for a court to decide if he should be deported.

Djokovic arrived at Melbourne's Park Hotel around 3:30 pm, according to a Reuters witness. It is the same immigration detention hotel where the unvaccinated Serbian superstar was held last week over visa problems related to a COVID-19 medical exemption.

About a dozen refugee activists chanted "stop the torture ... let them out" as Djokovic and Border Force guards drove into the underground garage of the hotel, which is also being used to hold 33 asylum seekers and travellers in COVID-19 quarantine.

A man cycling past the hotel shouted: "Go home, Novak!"

A Border Force spokesperson confirmed that Djokovic has been detained.

The saga that has dominated headlines worldwide for the past week could climax on Sunday, when a Federal Court convenes to hear the 34-year-old's appeal against the Australian government's second attempt to boot him out.

The tournament, which Djokovic has won nine times previously, starts on Monday.

Djokovic's leading rivals have become increasingly impatient with the uncertainty hanging over the draw and the cloud hanging over their sport.

"Honestly I'm little bit tired of the situation because I just believe that it's important to talk about our sport, about tennis," Spaniard Rafa Nadal, who is tied on 20 major titles with Djokovic, told reporters at Melbourne Park, where the event will be played.

German Alexander Zverev, the world number three, said Djokovic had been treated unfairly and that the Serb might have been used as a political pawn by Australian authorities, something Canberra has denied. "This is obviously not a nice thing for everyone, for him especially. But don't question his legacy because of this," Zverev said.

A Croatian tennis coach, who was among a handful of visitors granted a medical exemption for the Australian Open, told The Australian newspaper he had to leave the country because Djokovic had become a political target.

Djokovic, who is scheduled to play fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovi in the first round of the Open, is hunting a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title. He could still withdraw and leave Australia of his own accord rather than suffer the humiliation of being deported.

"Australian Open is much more important than any player," said Nadal, whom Djokovic considers his greatest rival. "If he's playing finally, OK. If he's not playing, Australian Open will be great ... with or without him."