Novak Djokovic’s status as one of this century’s greatest athletes is undisputed – not a description that could ever be applied to his views on health matters.
The fanatical quest to continually improve himself as a tennis player is mirrored by an obsessive curiosity about how best to curate his physical and mental well-being. At times it has dragged him into the realms of faddism and quackery, sometimes dangerously so.
Indirectly, this endless search led him to the immigration detention room at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport, where Wednesday’s surreal drama played out.
For now he will remain locked up in a refugee detention hotel after the Federal Court ruled his appeal to be let into the country ahead of the Australian Open would be adjourned until Monday.
Lawyers on Thursday appearing for the world No 1 appealed to Judge Anthony Kelly to review the decision made by the Department of Home Affairs to deport him.
It’s just the latest controversial episode in the life of the 34-year-old tennis star, who two years ago took part in a live Facebook discussion with other Serbian sportspeople in which he denounced vaccines.
‘Personally I am opposed to vaccination and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel,’ he said. ‘But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision.’
Among Djokovic’s unusual beliefs are that ‘Bosnian pyramids’ near Sarajevo give off a mystical energy, while positive thoughts can purify water.
And just like her husband, Jelena, 35, has a series of unusual beliefs – and is no stranger to controversy after she shared conspiracy theories online with her thousands of Instagram followers.
In April 2020, Instagram posted a ‘false information’ tag on her stories after she shared a conspiracy video about 5G causing coronavirus.
The mother-of-two, who met her husband when they were teenagers, describes herself as ‘open-minded’ with a ‘never satiating hunger for knowledge’ on her blog.
Novak Djokovic ‘s quest to continually improve himself as a tennis player is mirrored by an obsessive curiosity about how best to curate his physical and mental well-being (pictured)
