Djokovic, deported from Australia, heads home to Serbia as Australian Open begins

Novak Djokovic was heading home to Serbia Monday after his deportation from Australia over its required COVID-19 vaccination ended the world's top-ranked men's tennis player's hopes of defending his Australian Open title.

An Emirates plane carrying him from Australia landed in Dubai early Monday and Djokovic was later seen on board a plane due to land in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, at 6:10 a.m. EST.

His lawyers had argued in an Australian court on Sunday that he should be allowed to stay in the country and compete in the tournament under a medical exemption due to a coronavirus infection last month.