Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

Novak Djokovic has never hidden how much he craves ending his career with the most Grand Slam men's titles of all time.

This Australian Open presented the chance for the men's world number one to win his 21st major, moving him clear of long-time rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the first time.

Even being unvaccinated did not stop Djokovic going to a country which has closed its borders to people who haven't being jabbed, believing his exemption would allow him to enter and play.

Challenging the decision to revoke his visa further illustrates Djokovic's desperation not to miss another opportunity for a Grand Slam victory.

This is the place where he would be - in normal circumstances - the overwhelming favourite to win.

Djokovic has already claimed a record nine men's titles in Melbourne, winning his past 21 matches there and losing just three times since 2011.

Now, after all that hard work on the court, it could be off-court circumstances that derail his bid for another piece of tennis history.

The politics behind the decisionpublished at 08:44 GMT 14 January 2022

08:44 GMT 14 January 2022

Shaimaa Khalil
Australia correspondent

The decision to cancel Djokovic's visa - after a court previously ruled in his favour - is largely about saving face with Australian voters in an election year.

Firstly, this has caused the Morrison administration deep embarrassment.

To Australians and the world, politicians look like they are enforcing rules they themselves don't understand or are unclear about. They also seemed to not talk to each other.

Secondly, Australia is buckling under the strain of a surge in infection rates.

Australia's two most populous states have been reporting tens of thousands of cases for weeks. Testing clinics are still struggling and the number of deaths is rising, in a country that imposed some of the strictest Covid rules in the world.

The decision to allow an unvaccinated tennis player to enter has therefore caused a great deal of shock and fury.

So the government is prepared to endure any diplomatic fallout, international embarrassment and the wrath of Djokovic's supporters instead.

• Read more of Shaimaa's analysis

Djokovic will meet with immigration officials on Saturday morning local time, the BBC has learned.

He will also not be required to spend Friday night in detention, as was widely speculated.

Former Australian Immigration Department deputy secretary Abul Rizvi has told the BBC what will likely happen next to Djokovic:

"Upon his visa being cancelled, Mr Djokovic must be taken into detention.

His lawyers are likely to seek judicial review and an interim order for him to be released on a bridging visa with work rights.

The former would take time to be decided. The court would need to decide the latter over the weekend to enable him to play in Aussie Open.

There is a strong chance the court would agree to releasing Mr Djokovic from detention."

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has weighed in on the latest turn of events, saying that he had made "note" of Immigration Minister Alex Hawke's decision.

"I understand that following careful consideration, action has been taken to cancel Djokovic's visa on health and good order grounds," he said.

"Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and they rightly expect the results of those sacrifices to be protected. That is what the minister is doing in taking this action today."

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Atkinson
BBC News, Melbourne

A Federal Circuit Court spokesman says they are “on standby” in case of a legal challenge to the decision to revoke Novak Djokovic's visa, but added that so far nothing had been filed.

Legal experts have tipped the men's world number one to make a challenge.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

Image source, BBC Sport

On the outside wall of Rod Laver Arena, where Novak Djokovic has won a record nine men's singles titles, this board will show the singles draws for this year's tournament.

The board remains blank. That feels like an appropriate symbol of the uncertainty surrounding the world men's number one and his bid to play in the Australian Open.

Djokovic's name was included when the draw was made on Thursday, pitting him against fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic - depending on the outcome of his fight to remain in Australia, of course.

He can still challenge the latest ruling but, with the first round starting on Monday and concluding on Tuesday, time is running out for the issue to be resolved.

The uncertainty has a knock-on effect for the other players, who don't know which day their opening matches will be scheduled.

The headache facing Tennis Australia, who have not yet responded to the latest twist, remains. So too, for now, does Djokovic's name on the official drawsheet.

If you're just tuning in to our coverage now, hello and welcome. Here's what you need to know to bring you up to speed:

• Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has cancelled world number one tennis player Djokovic's visa, saying it was on health grounds in the public interest
• The unvaccinated player entered Australia earlier last week, and was promptly rejected for entry and taken into detention
• This was later dramatically overturned and he was released - but Mr Hawke still held the power to cancel his visa - which he did today
• Djokovic is likely to launch a legal challenge - though time is running out for him as the Australian Open is due to begin in just three days

Simon Atkinson
BBC News, Melbourne

Image source, Getty Images

Over the past few days, as we waited for that decision, I’ve been lucky enough to watch Novak Djokovic hit tennis balls.

Some of his practice sessions on the Rod Laver Arena have been private (foiled only by the efforts of a hovering TV helicopter). In others, media have been allowed in to witness a short burst of action before being shooed away.

Taking regular breaks under shade, he has looked steely and determined – getting on with what he does despite all the distractions. It was during one of those sessions, on Wednesday, that a six-page statement appeared on his Instagram account. Impressive multitasking, but they were 489 words admitting mistakes that only added to the criticism of him.

Days of preparation were lost in a detention hotel and a lawyer’s office. And with no warm-up events under his belt Djokovic knows that if he does get to play, it’s going to be insanely difficult, especially in later rounds, against high-ranked players in tip-top condition.

And while he’ll have some vocal support from his Australian fans, especially in among the community with Serbian heritage, most public opinion is against him here. So, even in the relatively genteel world of tennis, he’ll be in for a hostile reception.

As one fan told us here: "We’re a country of booers, we do like that. But I think he can handle that.”

Djokovic is now "considering his options", says a report by Reuters news agency, quoting a source.

There's no more information on this now, but we'll update you with the latest once we have it.

Djokovic, the Australian Open defending champion, had been included in the draw on Thursday as top seed and was due to face Miomir Kecmanovic for his opening match, probably on Monday or Tuesday.

If he is deported, his slot would most likely go to Russian player Andrey Rublev.

Tennis Australia has yet to put out a response.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called the saga a "big political distraction" from the country's current Covid situation.

Lateral flow tests - known in Australia as rapid antigen tests (RATs) - are controversially in short supply locally.

There's been much controversy over Djokovic's bid to play in the Australian Open ever since he announced on 4 January that he had received a medical exemption to participate.

Australia requires all foreign visitors to be double vaccinated, or to complete 14 days in quarantine.

Many ordinary Aussies were up in arms that a tennis superstar was apparently being allowed straight into the country.

The political fallout led to PM Scott Morrison warning Djokovic that he would be sent home if he failed to provide proper medical proof for his exemption - despite initially saying he’d allow the state of Victoria to decide.

It's been a chaotic row on many levels, played out under the glare of global publicity.

Djokovic landed at Melbourne Airport near midnight on 5 January and was promptly assessed and rejected for entry.

After spending eight hours at the airport his visa was cancelled and he was taken into temporary immigration detention.

His lawyers argued he met the criteria for a vaccine exemption certificate because of a Covid infection on 16 December.

But Australia's federal government dismissed the prior infection as a valid reason for an exemption.

On Monday, however, a judge dramatically overturned the decision and ordered the release of the player from detention.

Then on Wednesday Djokovic confirmed he had gone ahead with an interview with French title L'Equipe, despite knowing he had tested Covid positive.

He also admitted making a false declaration on his travel form prior to entering Australia.

Read more: The twists and turns of Djokovic’s Australia mess

Image source, Getty Images

Djokovic has a right to challenge the latest order in court, and many experts expect he will.

They say it’s likely he will first seek a court injunction to stop his immediate deportation.After that he can launch a case against the specific ground of his visa cancellation.

He is expected to retain the services of legal firm Hall and Wilcox, in Melbourne, who successfully delivered him his first legal win

“He probably would do that, in large measure because he doesn’t want it on the record, he would want to fight it. And he’s a fighter anyway, we know that about him.” Prof Mary Crock, immigration law expert at the University of Sydney had earlier told the BBC.

However, its worth keeping in mind that the Australia Open is due to start on 17 January - that means time is very much ticking away.

In the latest twist to developments that have dragged on all week, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said he decided to cancel Djokovic's visa "on health and good order grounds... on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so".

"In making this decision, I carefully considered information provided to me by the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Border Force and Mr Djokovic," he said.

"The Morrison Government is firmly committed to protecting Australia’s borders, particularly in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic."

He added that the latest order quashed a prior ruling by a court.

Hello and welcome to our live page covering the Australian government’s decision to revoke Novak Djokovic’s visa.

Unless Djokovic mounts a successful legal challenge, the decision will scupper his chances of defending his Australian Open tennis title.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has just announced he made the decision on "on health and good order grounds".

It follows a court previously overturning Australia’s first attempt to deport Djokovic.

Stay with us as we cover this latest dramatic development.