Nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic is to be released from immigration detention in Australia after the decision to cancel his visa was overturned.
The 34-year-old - who has always refused to publicly reveal his vaccination status - initially travelled to compete at the Grand Slam with a medical exemption from having a COVID-19 vaccine.
The news of Djokovic's exemption led to uproar within Australia - whose citizens have endured months of tough COVID-19 restrictions - but his visa was originally cancelled last week.
The Serbian has since been held in an immigration detention hotel awaiting the result of his appeal after the Australian Government lost a bid to delay such a move.
Djokovic's medical exemption was reported to have been based on a positive PCR test for COVID-19 on December 16, and Judge Anthony Kelly has sided with the 20-time Grand Slam winner.
"What more could this man have done? Here, a professor and an eminently qualified physician have produced and provided to the applicant a medical exemption," Judge Kelly told the court.
"Further to that, that medical exemption and the basis on which it was given was separately given by a further independent expert specialist panel established by the Victorian state government and that document was in the hands of the delegate."
The Australian Government have been ordered to pay Djokovic's costs after admitting that the player was not given enough time to respond to the original cancellation of his visa.
Djokovic could win a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title at this year's Australian Open, but Immigration Minister Alex Hawke reserves his right to cancel his visa again, which could also see him banned from entering Australia for three years.
Ben Knapton
