Home Affairs minister Karen Andrews has revealed Novak Djokovic was not allowed into Australia because he could not provide adequate reasons why he was not vaccinated.
Ms Andrews said travellers must provide medical evidence of their Covid-19 vaccination or adequate medical reasons why they have not received the vaccine before they are allowed to enter the country.
'Anyone entering Australia has to meet the entry requirements which includes medical evidence of vaccination or alternately for medical reasons that individual cannot be vaccinated,' she said.
'So, specifically he hasn't met the medical reasons why he couldn't be vaccinated.'
Her comment comes after Djokovic spent his first night in a $104-a-night Melbourne hotel used as refugee housing, as supporters camped out to hold a candlelit vigil demanding his release.
A far cry from his $15million Marbella mansion, the Park Hotel in the city's CBD has seen detainees complaining of mouldy and maggot-ridden food as recently as last week, with his father calling the tennis star's detention 'an attack on Serbia'.
The world's best tennis player touched down in Melbourne late on Wednesday night to compete for a record 10th Australian Open title, only to be informed his medical exemption from being vaccinated against Covid was not sufficient - sparking a bitter diplomatic row.
The Serbian president has come out swinging at Scott Morrison, accusing his government of embarking on a 'political witch hunt' after revoking his visa and preparing to deport him home.
Djokovic will remain at the hotel until his legal battle is resolved on Monday, with a team of lawyers working through the night to keep him in Australia - forcing him to remain in limbo and endure less than five-star conditions.
The accommodation has become that of infamy, operating as a holding facility for refugees imprisoned on Manus Island and Nauru who are seeking urgent medical care under now defunct Medevac laws.
His brother Djordje Djokovic claimed the star was in a 'dirty room without any belongings' and being treated 'like a criminal'.
Srdjan leads a rally in front of the National Assembly in Serbia as demonstrations broke out calling for Djokovic to be released
A candlelight vigil was held outside the hotel in Carlton as Djokovic fans show their support for the detained tennis star (pictured on Thursday night)
Tensions reached breaking point as police clashed with demonstrators outside Park Hotel on Thursday
Support of Novak Djokovic holds banner as rallies of support unfolded outside the Park Hotel in Melbourne CBD on Thursday night
Djokovic's father Srdjan at a press conference after his son was placed into a hotel room in Melbourne's CBD on Thursday
Refugees staying at the Park Hotel have previously claimed to find 'live maggots' crawling through their food (pictured) - saying living conditions are below basic human rights. It is a far cry from Djokovic's usual life of luxury
Moments before Novak Djokovic was taken away to a detention hotel he was pictured at the Border Force check in counter - where he is said to have presented a pile of paperwork to prove his exemption
A team representing the Minister for Immigration said in a late hearing on Thursday they 'would not oppose an interim injunction' barring the government from deporting Djokovic until the next hearing - meaning he will remain at the hotel over the weekend.
Masses of supporters surrounded the building on Thursday, holding anti-vaccination placards, waving Serbian flags and chanting for their hero.
A candlelight vigil for the 34-year-old was even held in Lincoln Park opposite the accommodation.
They were contrasted by dozens of refugee activists, taking advantage of the media presence to champion their cause, clashing with police as they were led away while baffled detainees watched through the hotel windows.
Protestors staged a rally outside Park Hotel on Thursday night calling for Djokovic to be freed
Thousands of supports turned up to the rally in Serbia to demonstrate against Djokovic's treatment in Australia
Djokovic's impassioned father spoke at the rally calling for Australian authorities to release his son
Thousands of demonstrators rallied outside of the National Assembly to throw their support behind Djokovic
Supports wave the Serbian national flag as they attended the rally outside the National Assembly
Demonstrators light candles outside the Park Hotel as they called for Australian authorities to release Djokovic
Tensions escalated outside the Park Hotel in Melbourne as demonstrators clashed with police
A group of demonstrators hold the Serbian national flag during the rally outside the Park Hotel on Thursday night
Supports of Djokovic wearing the Serbian national flag as cloaks during the rally outside the hotel in Melbourne
Djokovic's mother Diana spoke at the press conference in Serbia to condemn the treatment of her son
Novak Djokovic will spend the weekend inside the $104 per night Hotel Park (pictured) in Carlton in Melbourne for the weekend after arriving in Australia apparently without an eligible vaccine exemption ahead of the 2022 Australian Open
A demonstrator is led away by police after attending a protest against detention centres at the same hotel where Novak Djokovic is being held (pictured on Thursday night)
Some refugees have shared their horror stories of being trapped inside the hotel for several years, with what they claim is inedible food, no fresh air and no access to workout equipment.
'[The maggots] were alive in the plastic dish. People refused to eat it and demanded that it be taken away,' a refugee told SBS.
'There was no other food bought to replace it. So they either ate the maggot-infested food, the mouldy bread or went hungry. Most went hungry.'
In a matter of hours, Djokovic saw his hopes at becoming the first man to win 21 Grand Slams go up in smoke after proudly posting to Instagram that he had received 'exemption permission' and was Australia bound.
He will remain in the Park Hotel until Monday, living alongside 33 other detainees from offshore detention centres.
The Park Hotel, once Rydges Carlton, is described as a 'luxurious 4.5-star hotel' that coincidentally features tennis courts, a pool, wellness facilities and a business centre.
The judge in charge of his legal case asked during proceedings if the hotel he was staying at had a tennis court that Djokovic could practice on.
The conditions are likely to be a far cry from Djokovic's luxury Marbella mansion where the 34-year-old recently moved to after spending 15 years living in Monte Carlo
Novak Djokovic (pictured) will remain in the hotel until at least Monday - a facility used to house refugees that has recently seen fires across two floors and a Covid outbreak (pictured in Adelaide hotel quarantine before last year's Australian Open)
Pictured: The Park Hotel, once Rydges Carlton, coincidentally features a tennis court, a pool, wellness facilities and a business centre
Rather than hosting guests from around Australia and the world, the Park Hotel has instead been home to refugees before becoming a hotel quarantine facility for returning residents.
In October last year the hotel saw a Covid outbreak, with 22 of the 46 detainees testing positive and one man rushed to hospital.
Then in late December two fires broke out in the building, with one man rushed to hospital with smoke inhalation.
The third and fourth floors were impacted by the blaze, with refugees now kept on the second floor, but they are unable to access the gym as a result of the damage.
Some even claimed they were not safely evacuated during the inferno.
His new living arrangements are a far cry from his Spanish digs - which feature a tennis court, stunning pool and cinema (pictured)
There are 33 men currently detained in the hotel (pictured) after being flown from Manus Island and Nauru under now defunct medevac laws
It is likely a very different experience from his usual digs, a $15million mansion in Marbella which he moved to with his wife last year after living in Monaco for 15 years.
His palatial home features a swimming pool
