Czech tennis star detained in Australia before tournament over COVID-19 vaccination issues

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A Czech female tennis player joined Novak Djokovic at a Melbourne hotel after she had her visa canceled and was detained by Australian immigration officials over COVID-19 vaccination issues.

Czech Republic officials said Friday that Renata Voracova planned to leave Australia but asked for clarification from the Australian government over her detention. The hotel where Voracova and Djokovic is where Australia holds refugees and asylum seekers.

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Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic in action against Johanna Larsson of Sweden in their Round One match during Day One of the Fuzion 100 Southsea Trophy at Canoe Lake Leisure on June 26, 2018, in Portsmouth, United Kingdom.  (Christopher Lee/Getty Images for LTA)

"We can confirm that Czech tennis player Renata Voracova is in the same detention as Djokovic, together with several other players," the Czech Foreign Ministry said in a statement. 

"We submitted through our embassy in Canberra a protest note and are asking for an explanation of the situation. However, Renata Voracova decided to drop out of the tournament due to limited possibilities for training and to leave Australia."

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Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic returns a shot to Shuai Peng of China during a first round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, on March 10, 2011. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

Voracova, 38, has had most of her success come in doubles matches. She is 648-410 as a doubles partner and 499-420 as a singles player. In either case, she hasn’t made it further than the second round in the Australian Open. She finished in the second round in singles in 2007 and in the second round in doubles in 2003 and 2014.

While Voracova is expected to leave the country, Djokovic has launched a legal fight.

Djokovic is appealing Australia’s decision to cancel his visa over his COVID-19 medical exemption. According to Tennis Australia, Djokovic’s request for exemption was granted to play in the Australian Open but it apparently wasn’t enough to get into the country.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic holds the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Russia's Daniil Medvedev in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)

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Djokovic’s case is adjourned until Monday. He wasn’t expected to leave the hotel despite pleas to allow him to be transferred to a home he was supposed to rent.