(FILE) - Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts during the final match against Daniil Medvedev of Russia at the Rolex Paris Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 07 November 2021 (reissued 16 January 2022). - Djokovic lost court appeal against deportation from Australia and will not be able to defend his Australian Open title in Melbourne. EPA pic
(FILE) - Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts during the final match against Daniil Medvedev of Russia at the Rolex Paris Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 07 November 2021 (reissued 16 January 2022). - Djokovic lost court appeal against deportation from Australia and will not be able to defend his Australian Open title in Melbourne. EPA pic

SYDNEY: An Australian court upheld a government decision to cancel Novak Djokovic's visa on Sunday, ending the unvaccinated tennis superstar's hopes of winning the Australian Open and racking up a record-breaking 21 men's Grand Slam titles.

Ruling on a case that has gripped Australia and the sporting world for more than a week, a three-judge bench of the Federal Court heard government lawyers arguments that Djokovic's continued presence risked whipping up anti-vaccination sentiment during Australia's worst outbreak of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

A medical exemption that allowed the Serbian tennis world number one to enter the country without being vaccinated had sparked fury in Australia, and became a political issue for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has to call a federal election before May. - REUTERS