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Tennis authorities in Melbourne fear a tinderbox situation at the Australian Open and are reviewing security arrangements, should Novak Djokovic be finally cleared to compete.
Scuffles broke out between police and Serbian fans on Monday in the city's business district, with protesters pepper-sprayed, after a suggestion that he was to be put back in detention despite a court freeing him to play.
With Djokovic the focus of rowdy supporters who include anti-vaxxers, the uniformed presence will be beefed up when the event begins on Monday.
Novak Djokovic is the focus of rowdy supporters in Melbourne, who include anti-vaxxers
However, it remained far from certain that he would be allowed to feature, despite winning the court ruling that overturned the Border Force's decision to rip up his visa.
If allowed to stay, Tennis Australia will move to avoid scenes which marred the tournament in the Noughties, when fans of rival players from Balkan countries clashed. Melbourne Park's Garden Square was the site of a mass brawl between Serbs and Croats in 2007.
Feelings were running high after Judge Anthony Kelly struck down a ruling that Djokovic should be detained or deported after he was refused entry late last Wednesday night.
In Belgrade his family gave another hyperbolic press conference, with the player's father Srdjan saying: 'I call on Queen Elizabeth, the leader of the Commonwealth, to intervene and protect the
