Tennis icon Novak Djokovic has opened up about a harrowing experience during his 2022 detention in Melbourne, Australia, claiming he suffered food poisoning that left him with long-term health complications. In a new interview with GQ for its February 2025 cover story, Djokovic detailed his ordeal during his detention amid the controversy surrounding his unvaccinated status during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Detention Controversy
Djokovic, 37, found himself at the center of global headlines in January 2022 when he arrived in Australia to compete in the Australian Open. Unvaccinated against COVID-19, Djokovic sought a medical exemption, citing a recent recovery from the virus. However, his entry was denied, and he was detained at a Melbourne immigration hotel for nearly two weeks during a protracted legal battle. Ultimately, the Serbian tennis star was deported just one day before the tournament began.
While the saga of his deportation was already well-documented, Djokovic’s recent interview sheds new light on a lesser-known aspect of his detention: an alleged incident of food poisoning.
“I Was Poisoned”
Djokovic claimed he began experiencing alarming health issues shortly after returning home to Serbia following his deportation. “When I came back, I started having some health issues,” Djokovic told GQ. “And I realized that in that hotel in Melbourne, I was fed with some food that poisoned me.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion explained that subsequent medical tests revealed concerning results. “I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but I had a really high level of heavy metal—lead and mercury—in my system,” Djokovic revealed. “I was very sick. It felt like a simple flu at first, but it took me down hard. Days later, I still wasn’t recovering.”
Medical Treatment and Toxicology Reports
Djokovic said he required emergency medical treatment multiple times before undergoing toxicology tests. “I was treated several times by emergency medical teams, and then toxicology reports confirmed high levels of lead and mercury in my system,” he said.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), lead and other heavy metals can sometimes be present in food due to environmental contamination during production or processing. Djokovic did not provide specifics about the food served to him during his detention but insinuated that it was the source of his health issues.
Australian Government Responds
When GQ reached out for comment, a spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Home Affairs stated, “For privacy reasons, the Department cannot comment on individual cases.”
Moving Past the Incident
Despite the ordeal, Djokovic insisted he harbors no ill will toward Australia or its people. He was eventually granted a visa to return and compete in the 2023 Australian Open, which he won. Reflecting on his return, Djokovic said, “A lot of Australian people I’ve met over the last few years have come up to me to apologize for how I was treated. They told me they were embarrassed by their government’s actions.”
Refocusing on Tennis
Djokovic, who is preparing for the 2025 Australian Open, declined to elaborate further on the poisoning allegations when questioned by the press earlier this week. “I would appreciate not talking more in detail about that, as I would like to focus on the tennis and why I’m here,” he said. “If you want more details, you can refer to the article.”
A Resilient Champion
Despite the challenges he faced during the 2022 Australian Open saga, Djokovic remains one of the sport’s most dominant figures. His resilience on and off the court continues to define his career, and his latest revelations add yet another layer to the storied life of one of tennis’s greatest players.
