The Novak Djokovic saga delivers more questions than answers, both on and off the court

Novak Djokovic has beaten the Australian government, for now at least, as one of the wildest sport stories in recent years took another twist.

One of sport’s greatest superstars became entwined with one of the biggest stories of the 21st century to captivate the world.

Sparking discussion among millions, the treatment of Djokovic at border control has created some middle ground among those on either side of the Covid-19 vaccine debate arguing for fairness for those travelling in these unprecedented times.

The truth is that this story is far from over, with appeals and counter-appeals primed to dominate another week of headlines on both the front and back pages.

It truly has been the perfect storm, too, both in terms of subject and geography, with the time differences between Melbourne, the UK and United States allowing for comprehensive coverage over 24 hours, with constant developments and updates.

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Djokovic stepped onto the practice courts at Melbourne Park late on Monday night in Melbourne, finally adding a sporting detail to this story. Being deprived of what he loves most for almost a week could light a fire inside the 34-year-old in the race to truly establish a GOAT in men’s tennis.

After all, his family has already celebrated victory in his appeal as his “greatest win”, including all of his grand slams, proving Djokovic’s pride in standing by his beliefs. Djokovic, after all, has always craved the adulation received by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Battling to find balance from a journalistic point of view has naturally proven challenging, with the geopolitical ramifications and the small matter of the first grand slam of the year just days away. The Australian Open, which begins on 17 January, has always represented one of the first essential events to watch each year in sport.

And while Djokovic’s family shed some light on his situation in a hastily arranged press conference, they also spoke liberally without being challenged on a number of holes in the world No 1’s story, which demands attention.

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The peculiar timeline surrounding his positive test on 16 December and several public appearances in the days that followed remains murky. A legitimate question surrounding Djokovic and his family’s knowledge of that week brought an abrupt ending to what was a draining day across the globe.

So, alongside the many dimensions to this gripping story, we will gradually piece together this puzzle. But we’ll also be across some tremendous tennis too. Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and, incredibly, Nadal, who is tied with Djokovic and Federer on 20 grand slams, all stand to benefit from this almighty distraction, and we’ll be here to cover every ball.

Yours,

Jack Rathborn

Assistant sports editor