Losing his visa appeal cost Novak Djokovic the shot to defend his Australian Open title and play for a historic men's record 21st major championship.
However, it won't cost the world No. 1 a cent in legal fees.
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Tennis Australia is picking up the tab for the "astronomical" legal fees Djokovic incurred fighting to reinstate his visa, which was canceled twice, the Daily Mail reports.
Citing multiple sources, Daily Mail says Tennis Australia "has not denied the allegation it paid the fees."
Nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic was deported from Australia on Sunday after a panel of three judges voted unanimously to uphold Immigration Minister Alex Hawke's ruling to cancel the Serbian's visa.
The bombshell report that the TA is footing Djokovic's legal bills won't calm controversy swirling over the TA and Victorian government's handling of Djokovic's visa saga, which players ranging from Rafael Nadal to Victoria Azarenka have called "a circus."
Complicating matters further for the TA is this report comes after Australian media reported the nation's governing body refused to deliver legal aid to Czech player Renata Voracova, who was deported from Australia after a similar visa issue to 20-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic.
The 34-year-old Serbian superstar contracted Coronavirus for a second time on December 16th. Djokovic was given a medical exemption to play the Australian Open on December 30th after two independent panels reviewed his case.
However, his visa was canceled twice during an 11-day process that divided the tennis world. One legal expert told Daily Mail Djokovic's legal fees for the case could approach a half-million dollars, which the TA will cover according to the report.
'The biggest thing people don't know is that Tennis Australia are paying his legal bills... Not Novak himself," Daily Mail quoted a source close to the TA saying. "They get government funding for the event [Australian Open], so ultimately the tax payer will pay his legal fees even though he lost."
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