Novak Djokovic was taken into custody on Saturday by immigration officials as he fought the Australian government’s efforts to deport him.
Court documents filed by his lawyers confirmed that as of 9:19 a.m. in Melbourne, he was being held in immigration detention, awaiting a court’s ruling on whether he can remain in Australia.
A judge had ruled that Djokovic would be allowed to stay at his residence until a Saturday morning meeting with immigration officials. After that, he was taken into custody and escorted to the office of his attorneys.
On Saturday afternoon, Australian news outlets reported that Djokovic had been brought to the Park Hotel in Melbourne, where he was held for several days after his initial attempt to enter the country. Australia is also keeping refugees and asylum seekers there under a much-criticized detention program.
On Sunday morning, border officers are expected to escort Djokovic back to his attorney’s offices for a hearing in which both sides will lay out their cases.
The judge has ruled that Djokovic cannot be deported until after the court appeal is over. It is unclear whether he would voluntarily leave the country. His lawyers did not return emails seeking comment on Saturday.
Djokovic’s lawyers, worried about the media storm around his case, have sought to keep his location secret. A judge ruled that both Djokovic’s attorneys and the immigration department had to agree upon his whereabouts.
On Friday, Djokovic’s lawyers unsuccessfully argued that he should be kept out of immigration detention for the duration of the appeal.
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