Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic was given a Covid-19 vaccine exemption because he tested positive for the virus in December, his lawyers said in a court filing Saturday, three days after Australian border agents placed him in a Melbourne detention centre.

World number one Novak Djokovic on Friday thanked people around the world for their support amid a visa row over Covid-19 vaccines that has seen him being detained at a Melbourne hotel ahead of this month’s Australian Open.

Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic spent Orthodox Christmas in Australian immigration detention on Friday as his lawyers fight a government decision to remove him from the country that could scupper his shot at a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam.

World number one Novak Djokovic’s Australia visa was canceled upon arrival in Melbourne on Thursday amid a storm of protest

Australia vowed to deport tennis world number one Novak Djokovic on Thursday, saying the vaccine-sceptic Serb failed to meet strict pandemic entry requirements.

Novak Djokovic sparked anger after getting a medical exemption that will allow him to defend his Australian Open title without being vaccinated against Covid-19.

Novak Djokovic ended speculation over his Australian Open title defence by announcing on Tuesday that he would compete at the season's opening Grand Slam event after receiving a medical exemption from getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Before calling time in 2002, celebrated sportsperson Zobera Rahman Linu emerged champion in the national women’s table tennis championship for a record 16 times.

Rafa Nadal confirmed his bid for a record 21st Grand Slam title on Friday by posting a picture of himself at Melbourne Park on social media and allaying fears that he could miss next month’s Australian Open.

Nick Kyrgios has urged Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to play at the Australian Open, saying Wednesday it would be a “disaster” if the ‘Big Three’ were missing.

Novak Djokovic has not withdrawn from the ATP Cup despite claims he was almost sure to do so, Tennis Australia said Tuesday, as other top players led by Naomi Osaka began arriving ahead of the Australian Open.

Dominic Thiem has pulled out of next month's Australian Open to work towards regaining full fitness after a long-standing wrist injury, the former world number three said on Tuesday.

World number five Andrey Rublev is the fifth player to test positive for COVID-19 after playing at an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi this month.

Olympic champion Alexander Zverev is confident a changing of the guard is almost complete in men’s tennis with next year’s big silverware likely to be shared between Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and himself.

Australian Open chief Craig Tiley is confident Rafa Nadal will be at Melbourne Park for next month's Grand Slam despite testing positive for COVID-19, but he is still uncertain whether Novak Djokovic will be playing.

Rafael Nadal said Monday he has tested positive for Covid-19 on his return to Spain from Abu Dhabi where he took part in an exhibition tournament last week.

Spain’s Rafa Nadal said he cannot guarantee he will make the trip to Melbourne for next month’s Australian Open after returning to action at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Rafael Nadal deemed his unofficial return to competition in Abu Dhabi as a “positive start” after he fell to Andy Murray in a high-quality exhibition match on Friday.

Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova will miss the Australian Open in January after breaking her forearm in training, her husband and manager Michal Hrdlicka said on Thursday.

Manolo Santana, who became the first Spaniard to win Wimbledon and inspired his country's rise as a tennis power, died Saturday at the age of 83.