MELBOURNE (Reuters) – There have been chaotic scenes in central Melbourne on Monday evening as fans of Novak Djokovic crowded round a automotive they thought was carrying the Serbian tennis participant and chanted “Free Novak! Free Novak!”
Police struggled to carry again the enthusiastic supporters, some carrying Serbian flags, as they pressed towards the automobile and prevented it from progressing down the road away from the downtown workplaces of Djokovic’s attorneys.
The world tennis primary had been on the workplaces for an earlier Federal court docket listening to into the cancellation of his visa to enter Australia at which the decide ordered his release from a authorities detention lodge.
Some fans banged on the darkish tinted home windows of the automotive, making it unimaginable to inform if Djokovic was inside, and one man jumped up and down on high of the automobile.
At one stage, police deployed pepper spray.
A crowd of greater than 100 later gathered exterior the exit of the automotive park, some chanting, others dancing in circles in the center of the road.
Australia’s Immigration Minister later stated he was contemplating whether or not to once more cancel Djokovic’s visa.
Djokovic was in search of entry to Australia to play in the Australian Open, which begins at Melbourne Park subsequent Monday, to pursue his bid for a report twenty first Grand Slam title.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom, writing by Nick Mulvenney, Editing by Mark Heinrich)
