Novak Djokovic news LIVE: Hearing set to decide Australian Open fate as Andy Murray speaks out

Voracova, who had already competed in a warm-up event in Melbourne, is said to have obtained a vaccine exemption on the basis that she had been infected with Covid-19 in the past six months – the same reason used by Djokovic.

“I’m in a room and I can’t go anywhere,” Voracova told Czech dailies DNES and Sport.

“My window is shut tight, I can’t open it five centimetres (two inches). And there are guards everywhere, even under the window, which is quite funny. Maybe they thought I would jump and run away,

“They bring me food and there’s a guard in the corridor. You have to report, everything is rationed. I feel a bit like in prison.”

Voracova says she will not be appealing the decision and is likely to leave over the weekend, but hopes that Djokovic is allowed to play at the AO.

“We are athletes, we have come here to play tennis and not to deal with disputes behind the scenes,” she added.

World number one Ashleigh Barty underlined her Australian Open credentials by claiming victory at the Adelaide International 1 warm-up event.

The Wimbledon champion eased past seventh seed Elena Rybakina 6-3 6-2 on Sunday to wrap up her 14th WTA singles title in just 64 minutes.

Australian Barty is favourite to triumph on home soil when the first grand slam of 2022 begins in Melbourne a week on Monday.

“I feel good leading up to an Australian Open, like I have every year,” said Barty, according to wtatennis.com.

“Each and every preparation is unique, each and every preparation is different, so we take it for what comes and what it is, move on, try and do the best that we can in every opportunity, whether that’s here in Adelaide or it’s in Melbourne.

“It has absolutely no effect on the way that I prepare or the way I’m thinking leading forward just because it’s a grand slam.

“We look forward, we do what we can, then we see how we go.”

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has revealed that Novak Djokovic asked to be moved out of his immigration hotel and into rented accommodation.

TennisWorldUSA report the national leader explaining having been in contact with the tennis player and asking what he could do to help – but Australian immigration rules are preventing it happening.

“We did everything we could. Last night I talked to Novak for the first time, this morning for the second time, in accordance with the agreements we have, Ana Brnabic is just calling on the phone, praying and asking for one thing,” Vucic said.

“That before the final decision of the court on Monday, they allow Novak not to be in this infamous hotel, but in the house he rented. That is what Novak asked from his country, it is our obligation to protect our citizens. I talked to him last night and this morning, our ministry is involved.”

Andy Murray speaks out on Novak Djokovic situation that has left players ‘shocked’:

In a statement issued by Tennis Australia Osaka said: “I had a lot of fun playing here in Melbourne. Unfortunately I have an abdominal injury which I need to rest and prepare for the Australian Open.”

Later on Twitter Osaka posted: “Sad to withdraw due to injury from my match today, my body got a shock from playing back to back intense matches after the break I took. I’ll try to rest up and I’ll see you soon!”

The four-time grand slam winner took a break from playing after losing to Leylah Fernandez in the third round of September’s US Open.

Following her winning return to action in Melbourne earlier in the week, Osaka said her main target for 2022 is to feel like she is “having fun” on the court.

Veronika Kudermetova had been due to face the Japanese world number 13 prior to the withdrawal, with the Russian now to take on Simona Halep in the final after the Romanian progressed with a straight-sets win over Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen.

Craig Tiley, the boss of Tennis Australia, has praised his organisation for the work they have done in Novak Djokovic’s case as the tennis star awaits the outcome of his appeal.

There has been criticism aimed everywhere it seems, from toward Djokovic and his team, to the organisers’ earlier claims that he’d be allowed in and even toward the country’s visa process, but a leaked video reported by the Sunday Herald Sun paper in Australia shows Tiley rejected the accusations that Tennis Australia had mislead players over what was necessary to gain entry for the Australian Open.

“There is a lot finger pointing going on… but I can assure you our team has done an unbelievable job,” he said.

Novak Djokovic’s requests for access to his personal chef and a tennis court have been rejected by Australian authorities, according to reports.

The Australian said officials have remained adamant that the world No 1 will be denied access to any preferential treatment during the course of his stay at the Park Hotel in Melbourne.

Djokovic was also unable to celebrate Orthodox Christmas on Friday, with a priest from the Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church in Melbourne said to have been turned away.

Rafael Nadal’s uncle and trainer Toni Nadal has joined the debate over Novak Djokovic, admitting he is surprised that the Serbian is not vaccinated yet after attempting to play the Australian Open.

“I must admit that until Tuesday’s announcement, I thought that the Serbian player would give up participating in the tournament , or that the vaccine would be inoculated,” Toni Nadal says in his El Pais column.

“There are almost six million people who have lost their lives due to this damn virus and many other millions who have received the vaccine.

“I want to think that Novak is no stranger to all this and that he will clear the doubts as a sign of human sensitivity and understanding.”

Novak Djokovic’s mother Dijana has called her son’s situation over a rescinded visa “not human”.

“I feel terrible since yesterday that they are keeping him as a prisoner. It’s not fair. It’s not human. I hope that he will win,” said Djokovic’s mother.

She also confirmed that she had spoken with him briefly by telephone from Belgrade. She added: “Terrible, terrible accommodation. It’s just some small immigration hotel, if it’s hotel at all.”