Novak Djokovic reveals he was poisoned in a Melbourne hotel in 2022, when he was detained and deported

Novak Djokovic starred in a controversy on the Australian Open 2022, when he refused to get a Covid-19 vaccine and a visa to enter the country was cancelled, citing risks to public health. The Serbian player was subsequently deported.

Now, in an interview with GQ Magazine, Djokovic has revealed that he was poisoned in the hotel in Melbourne where he stayed waiting for his deportation.

"I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discoveries that I was, I had a really high level of heavy metal. Heavy metal. I had the lead, very high level of lead and mercury", he said in GQ. He added that it felt like a flu, but longer.

He says that, for his family, it's not "water under the bridge", but for him, it is. "I never held any grudge over Australian people. In contrary, actually, a lot of Australian people that I meet [were] apologizing to me for the treatment I received because they were embarrassed by their own government at that point".

Djokovic also added that he never got the vaccination. "I don't feel like I needed one. I'm a healthy individual, I take care of my body, and I'm extremely mindful of what I consume, and I do regular tests, blood tests, any kind of tests. I know exactly what's going on. Also, what is important to state is knowing that I'm not a threat to anybody, because I had antibodies."

When asked about that interview (published on January 9) in the press conference before Australian Open, Djokovic explained that the interview was carried months ago. "I would appreciate not talking more in detail about that, as I would like to focus on the tennis and why I'm here", he said.