LONDON (AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE) - Novak Djokovic has admitted his deportation from Australia in January, which denied him the opportunity to defend his Australian Open title, took a heavy mental toll on him and it has taken him time to "weather the storm".
Last season was arguably the former world No. 1's finest tennis campaign as he came so close to becoming the first player in the Open era since Rod Laver in 1969 to win a calendar Grand Slam, after winning at Melbourne Park, Roland Garros and the All England Club, before falling to Daniil Medvedev in the final at Flushing Meadows.
The Serb's plans to try to go one better this year were rocked from the get-go after he was detained alongside asylum seekers, before being expelled from Australia and given a three-year visa ban over his refusal to take the Covid-19 vaccine.
On his harrowing experience with the Australian immigration authorities, Djokovic said: "This year started the way it has started and it has affected me definitely in the first several months of the year, I was not feeling great generally. Mentally, emotionally, I was not at a good place.
"I realised at that point that it's going to take some time, that I have to be patient, and sooner or later, I will get myself in the optimal state."
The 35-year-old barely played competitively in the first quarter of the year owing to the fallout in Australia, coupled with strict Covid-19 travel restrictions that were still in place.
The pandemic has since eased - enabling Djokovic to compete in ATP Tour tournaments despite being unvaccinated and his form recovered, culminating in Sunday's (July 10) Wimbledon final victory over Australian Nick Kyrgios.
It was his fourth successive title here and seventh in total, one behind Swiss record-holder Roger Federer, and he now trails Rafael Nadal (22) by one in the all-time Slam stakes.
Wimbledon might be the only Major he will win this year - there are doubts over his participation at next season's Australian Open after what transpired and current rules in the United States state that he cannot enter the country for the US Open unless he gets vaccinated, which he will not do.
The world No. 3, who will drop four places because ranking points were stripped from Wimbledon as a result of a unilateral decision to bar Russian and Belarusian players from taking part in the grass-court tournament, is not hopeful of a reprieve by US immigration authorities ahead of the final Slam of the year, which starts next month.
"I'm not vaccinated and I'm not planning to get vaccinated, so the only good news I can have is them removing the mandated green vaccine card or whatever you call it to enter United States or exemption," he said. "I don't think exemption is realistically possible.... I think it's just whether or not they remove this in time for me to get to the USA."
There is a possibility the next time Djokovic appears at a Slam would be next year's French Open, so he intends to savour his Wimbledon triumph as much as he can.
"It's not a coincidence that Wimbledon has such relevance in my life and career," he said. "It's a relief, as well, considering what I've been through this year. It adds more value and more significance and more emotions, of course."
What is also clear to Djokovic is that he will no longer be playing a full schedule on the ATP Tour moving forward.
He added: "I doubt I'll go and chase points. Things have changed in the last year, year and a half for me. I achieved that historic (373) weeks for a No. 1 that I worked for all my life. Now that that's done and dusted, I prioritise Slams and big tournaments really and where I want to play, where I feel good."
