Baku, January 10, AZERTAC
Novak Djokovic says he wants to "focus on tennis" after claiming in a magazine interview he had been "poisoned" when detained in a Melbourne hotel, according to BBC.
Local reporters unsuccessfully demanded further explanation as the 37-year-old Serb walked out of a pre-Australian Open news conference which ended in bizarre fashion.
Djokovic, a record 10-time men's champion at Melbourne Park, was deported from the Australian city in 2022 after arriving without a vaccination against Covid-19.
The deportation came when he failed to overturn a decision from the Australian government to cancel his visa on public health grounds.
In an interview with GQ magazine, external published on Thursday, Djokovic said he had "some health issues" when he returned to Serbia.
"I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne I was fed with some food that poisoned me," he added.
"I had a really high level of heavy metal. Heavy metal. I had the lead, very high level of lead and mercury."
The Australian Border Force has not responded to the accusations.
"For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on individual cases," the Department of Home Affairs told BBC Sport.
Djokovic's news conference on Friday had been wrapped up by a moderator before the player said he would answer another question from an Australian reporter.
She asked Djokovic if he had evidence to support his claim the food he was served while detained in the Park Hotel caused the heavy metal levels.
"I've done that interview many months ago," he replied.
"I would appreciate not talking more in detail about that, as I would like to focus on the tennis and why I'm here."
Djokovic flew to Australia at the end of December and told Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper this week he still feels "trauma" when he arrives in the country.
Shortly before Djokovic was deported in 2022, a newspaper poll found 71% of Australians believed he should be deported but he received a warm welcome when he returned to Melbourne Park in 2023.
On Friday, Australian player Nick Kyrgios said the country "shouldn't have" deported Djokovic.