Novak Djokovic claimed that his deportation from Australia was politically motivated, not related to his vaccination status or COVID. He argued that he was seen by the public as a "hero" for anti-vax sentiments and that the decision to deport him was influenced by politics rather than health concerns.

Novak Djokovic did not want to rehash — or even discuss at all, really — what he said Friday was a months-old interview with GQ magazine in which he recalled having high levels of metal in his blood from food he was served while detained before being deported from Australia in 2022 .

Novak Djokovic was "poisoned" by the food he ingested while detained during his 2022 Australian Open visa saga, the former world number one told GQ in an interview released on Thursday.