But while the Victorian court’s decision to overturn Djokovic’s visa revocation may have come on a technicality, the exasperation of Judge Anthony Kelly at the behaviour of the federal authorities was clear.
Removing his phone and passport and being told at 4am he had 20 minutes to gather evidence to support his claim to stay effectively reduced the best tennis player in the world to criminal status.
For Djokovic, the whole charade will be fuel to the fire. For a player who has spent his career as the outsider in the affections of the public – the anti-Rog and Rafa – the sense that the world is against him will be familiar. It has stoked him before
You just know that unless Australia’s immigration minister presses the nuclear button and deports him, Djokovic is going to win the Australian Open.