Novak Djokovic says he was 'poisoned' before 2022 Australian Open deportation

Novak Djokovic made some news before the start of the Australian Open which begins on Jan. 12.

Djokovic alleged in a lengthy GQ interview published on Thursday that he was “poisoned” by lead and mercury in his food while he was briefly detained in Melbourne in 2022 before being deported on the eve of the Australian Open.

During that time, the 37-year-old was hoping to play in the Australian Open despite not being vaccinated for COVID, but he had his visa cancelled and was eventually kicked out of the country.

Novak Djokovic, who is preparing for the Australian Open, talks with reporters on Jan. 10, 2025. Reuters

The former No. 1 player in the world was held in a detention hotel while he tried to win a legal battle to stay in the country and play in the tournament, but it turned out to be fruitless.

“I had some health issues,” Djokovic told the magazine. “And I realized that in that hotel in Melbourne I was fed some food that poisoned me,” the 37-year-old Djokovic told the magazine.

“I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discoveries that I had a really high level of heavy metal. I had lead, a very high level of lead and mercury.”

Djokovic said he believed the food was contaminated when asked by the magazine: “That’s the only way.”

The 37-year-old refused to elaborate on Friday in Melbourne when asked if he had any evidence his high heavy metal blood levels were linked to the food he was given.

But he did not back down from the poisoning allegations.

Andy Murray (left), who is now Novak Djokovic’s coach, shares a laugh with the Serbian star during a charity event titled ‘Night with Novak’ on Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Jan. 9, 2025. AFP via Getty Images

“The GQ article came out yesterday. … I’ve done that interview many months ago,” said Djokovic who is preparing to make a run at his 25th Grand Slam crown and his 11th Australian Open title. “I would appreciate not talking more in detail about that because I’d like to focus on the tennis and why I am here.

“If you want to see what I’ve said and get more info on that, you can always revert to the article.”

Australia’s Department of Home affairs did not comment on Djokovic’s allegation because of “privacy reasons.”

In other Djokovic-related news, the surefire Hall of Famer will be working with his new coach, Andy Murray, for the first time since he surprisingly hired him in November, adding that he’s “excited to start the tournament with him.”

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Murray, who ended his illustrious career with three majors, faced Djokovic 36 times and managed to win 11 of their showdowns.

“He knows the evolution of my game, I guess the weaknesses and strengths of my game,” Djokovic told reporters. “He also knows the game, the tennis game, of the biggest players in the world right now because he has just recently retired as a player.

As for the past 2022 COVID controversy, Djokovic, who ended up rolling to the title the following year, said he doesn’t hold “any grudge over the Australian people.”

“A lot of Australian people that I meet in Australia the last few years or elsewhere in the world, have come up to me, apologizing to me for the treatment I received because they were embarrassed by their own government at that point,” he said in the GQ article. “And I think the government’s changed, and they reinstated my visa, and I was very grateful for that.

“I actually love being there, and I think my results are a testament to my sensation of playing tennis and just being in that country.”

Nevertheless, Djokovic said he’s in no hurry to meet with the officials who detained him.

“Never met the people that deported me from that country a few years ago. I don’t have a desire to meet with them. If I do one day, that’s fine as well. I’m happy to shake hands and move on.”

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