The 20-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic's demands for a personal chef and an apartment with a tennis court have been turned down by the Australian government while he is being detained at a government immigration hotel in Melbourne.
The Border Force authorities have reportedly told Djokovic that he will receive no special treatment during his immigration custody.
The 34-year-old Serbian tennis star made these requests after other detainees staying in the same immigration facility complained about the poor living conditions, sharing pictures of maggot-riddled food, mouldy bread, and bugs in rooms.
He also made a request for a personal chef so that he could maintain his very strict diet as he is gluten intolerant.
Ahead of the Australian Open tournament, which is scheduled to be held this month, Djokovic requested to be transferred from an immigration hotel in Melbourne to a rented apartment with a tennis court so he could train.
While Djokovic refused to reveal how many, if any, Covid jabs he has received, his lawyers claimed the Australian government gave the tennis star a written vaccine exemption because he had Covid in December.
Meanwhile, the Australian Border Force authorities have been facing flak for allegedly treating the tennis star as a criminal. After at least six hours of heated discussions with border force officials, Djokovic's visa was cancelled, and the athlete was not allowed to enter the country.
Djokovic now awaits a court hearing on Monday that will make it clear whether he will be allowed to compete at the Australian Open tournament or not.