Djokovic alleges he was 'poisoned' before 2022 Australian Open
What's the story
In a shocking revelation, tennis legend Novak Djokovic has alleged that he was poisoned before the 2022 Australian Open.
The Serbian player, who was deported from Australia in 2022 for not being vaccinated against COVID-19, revealed this in an interview with GQ magazine.
"I had some health issues. And I realized that in that hotel in Melbourne, I was fed some food that poisoned me," Djokovic said.
Health concerns
Djokovic's health issues traced back to Serbia
Djokovic went on to elaborate on his health issues after returning to Serbia.
He said tests revealed an unusually high concentration of heavy metals in his system, including lead and mercury.
"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," he said.
Deportation saga
Djokovic's deportation and return to Australia
In 2022, Djokovic was deported from Australia for not being vaccinated against COVID-19, a mandate for all international tourists.
Despite his legal attempts to play in the Australian Open, he couldn't convince the authorities.
But he made a glorious comeback in 2023 by winning his 10th Australian Open title after beating Daniil Medvedev.
The win made him the second male player (along with Rafael Nadal) to win a singles Grand Slam title 10 or more times.
Emotional impact
Djokovic's lingering trauma and future aspirations
Djokovic confessed to the Herald Sun that his previous experiences in Australia have left him with residual trauma. However, he holds no resentment toward Melbourne or Australia.
Ahead of the 2025 Australian Open, Djokovic is eyeing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
He currently shares the record for most singles Grand Slam titles with Margaret Court and is already the most successful singles athlete at Melbourne Park with 10 titles.