Djokovic 'mentally hurt for a long time' by Australian Open visa saga

Djokovic was deported from Australia on the eve of the tournament after having his visa cancelled twice.

The unvaccinated tennis made headlines around the globe as he attempted to fight to stay in the country.

The saga went on for nearly two weeks before being ended last weekend on the eve of the tournament starting.

Marian Vajda, who has been Djokovic's coach for a number of years, defender the player and backed him to come back from it.

"I can't imagine how he handled it. It must have been a huge suffering," Marian Vajda told Slovakian site Aktuality.sk.

"He humbly endured all measures. But what they did to him must mark him. It is clear that it hit him mentally. It will hurt him for a long time and it will be difficult to get it out of his head.

"However, I know him very well. Novak is strong, resolute and has not yet said his last word in tennis."

Djokovic will have a fight on his hands to play the next Grand Slam of the year if he does not choose to get vaccinated.

The French government have ruled that athletes must be vaccinated in order to play the French Open in May.

"I don't understand … why it's important for them to announce this now about the tournaments that will take place in May, when the world doesn't even know what will happen to the pandemic in a month," said Vajda.

"I do not want to underestimate the whole situation. It is serious in the world. But what is the purpose of discussing it now in January? Is it still about sport?"