Novak Djokovic had faced some controversial decisions in his time. There were the shots that were judged fractionally out, and the aces disallowed because of foot faults. But nothing compared to the ruling by an Australian judge that he was free to enter the country. His mother called it "the biggest win of his career".

Djokovic flew into MelbourneThe capital of the state of Victoria, and Australia's second largest city after Sydney. late on Wednesday night to take part in next week's Australian Open. He had already won it nine times, and a tenth victory would make him the most successful male tennis player of all time, with 21 Grand Slam titlesThe world's four top tennis competitions, known as Grand Slam tournaments, are the US, Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon. Achieving a Grand Slam means winning all four in the space of a year. to his name.

Australian Covid regulations state that anyone entering the country must spend two weeks in quarantine unless they are double vaccinated, or else have an official letter exempting them for medical reasons. Djokovic had an exemption, which prime minister Scott MorrisonHe was previously minister for immigration, in charge of a controversial scheme to deter asylum seekers from trying to reach Australia. had recognised - but the border officials refused to accept it.

The superstar found himself confined to a cheap hotel until his case was decided. Famous for a health regime which includes hyperbaric chambersDevices intended to increase the body's absorption of oxygen and speed up its ability to heal itself. and a specialised diet, he had to make do with bog-standard food.

The judge who freed him ruled that officials had not followed the correct procedure. But the minister for immigration could invoke a law allowing him to deport anyone posing a threat to the "health, safety or good order of the Australian community".

The issue is particularly emotiveSomething that has the power to arouse intense feeling or emotion in somebody. because Melbourne has spent more time in lockdown than anywhere else: a total of 262 days. Its citizens are furious at the idea of someone being allowed to break the rules just because he is famous.

But some believe that Djokovic is simply the victim of politics, with Scott Morrison wanting to punish anyone who disagrees with his tough Covid-19 measures.

This is the view of Djokovic's father, who has even compared his son to Jesus: "Now Novak is being crucified," he declared. His position is shared by fans and anti-vaxxers, who applaud Djokovic as a the most famous public figure to speak out against vaccination.

Their opponents, however, accuse Djokovic of trying to enter Australia by subterfuge. The champion claimed he was medically exempt because he tested positive for Covid-19 on 16 December. But the fact that he was photographed at a public eventDjokovic handed out awards to young tennis players in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. the next day sheds doubt on that. And in any case, the tournament's deadline for exemption letters was 10 December.

 Djokovic's opposition to vaccines is shared by his wife JelenaThe couple met at secondary school in Serbia and live in Monaco., who has promoted conspiracy theories about Covid-19. In the summer of 2020, ignoring the threat from the pandemic, he organised a tennis tournament in four Balkan cities. It had to be abandoned when many of those involved became infected.  

For those who support vaccine regulations, Djokovic's deportation would be an important victory. For those who believe that they are a way for world leaders to bully people, it would be a bitter defeat.  

Yes: The Australian government wants to single out Djokovic for punishment because he is a hero to the anti-vax movement.

No: Djokovic deserves to be punished. He tried to get around the law while other unvaccinated players who followed the rules dropped out of the tournament.

Or...? Djokovic is a man who hits a ball over a net for a living, it is crazy that we should make a fuss about him when the world is in crisis.