Those who test positive in Serbia are meant to quarantine for 14 days.

Documents also showed Djokovic produced a negative test on December 22, which could have allowed him to exit self-isolation if Serbia has rules permitting that.

The court documents included a transcript of Djokovic being interviewed by an Australian Border Force official, who he told he had Covid once before in June 2020 – that positive test was already publicly known.

‘I don’t know what else I can tell you’

The transcript of that interview, which began at 12.21am local time, also showed Djokovic apologising for mistakenly declaring his exemption had been signed off by the federal government, when it had actually been by independent medical panels within the state of Victoria.

His failure to provide evidence of federal consent saw the interview immediately terminated before it was resumed more than three hours later, with Djokovic given notice of intention to consider cancelling his visa.

He said: “I just really don’t understand what is the reason you don’t allow me to enter your country.”

After he was given 20 minutes to submit more information to prevent his visa being cancelled, he said: “So you’re giving me legally 20 minutes to try to provide additional information that I don’t have? At 4 o’clock in the morning? 

“I mean you kind of put me in a very awkward position where at 4 in the morning I can’t call director of Tennis Australia, I can’t engage with anybody from the Victorian state government through Tennis Australia. You just put me in a very uncomfortable position. I don’t know what else can I tell you. I mean I-I-I-I everything that that they… I was asked to do is here.”

He added: “If you can, we wait for 8 in the morning and then I can call Tennis Australia and then we can try and figure this out. But right now? They’re all sleepy, I don’t know. I mean I just arrived at 1am, I don’t know what else I can do at this moment. 

“So I really, I know legally you’re following… but it just doesn’t make any sense. I mean I have done everything I possibly can. Right now I can call my agent. 

“You… you told me not to use my phone, so I’m not communicating with anybody, no one knows what’s going on.”

‘I am not vaccinated’ — what Djokovic said in Melbourne airport interview

Interviewer: …So when I ask you what were your reasons for travelling to Australia today? 

Djokovic: I’m a professional tennis player and the main reason for me coming to Australia is participating in the Australian Open in Melbourne, Victoria. 

Interviewer: Thank you. Now question regarding your vaccination, are you vaccinated… 

Djokovic: I am not vaccinated. 

Interviewer: … for Covid-19? Not vaccinated? 

Djokovic: I am not vaccinated. 

Interviewer: Thank you. Have you ever had Covid? 

Djokovic: Yes. 

Interviewer: So when did you? 

Djokovic: I had Covid twice, I had Covid in June 2020 and I had Covid recently in – I was tested positive – PCR –16th of December 2021. 

Interviewer: Thank you. Sorry what was the date? 16th of December? 

Djokovic: 16th of December 2021, I have the documents as well to confirm that if you want I can provide – just as a – 

Interviewer: Thank you. I’ll just make a photocopy of those documents.

Djokovic: Yes. These are the PCR tests – this is – yes, so this is the positive one on 16 December PCR…

Interviewer: Yes  

Djokovic: Let me see, 16 December and this is in English it’s right on there. 

Interviewer: Positive. 

Djokovic: Yes. And this one is 22nd…

Interviewer: Yep. 

Djokovic: …and negative. 

Interviewer: It’s negative. So what I’m going to do as I said like I’m just going to make a photocopy of these…

Djokovic: Yes 

Interviewer: …test reports and then I’m going to give it back to you.