The issue had sparked a backlash among locals and Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed Djokovic “won’t be treated different than anyone else”, with all travellers arriving in Australia needing to be double vaccinated unless they can provide sufficient evidence for a medical exemption.

The 20-time grand slam champion, who has won the last three Australian Open titles, was then taken to a hotel for government detainees while he awaits a Federal Court hearing on Monday, with his lawyers having appealed against his deportation.

Djokovic was being “persecuted”, his father Srdjan Djokovic told Serbian media at a press conference on Thursday. “They’re keeping him in captivity. They’re stomping all over him to stomp all over Serbia and the Serbian people. [Scott] Morrison [Australia’s prime minister] and his like have dared attack Novak to bring Serbia to its knees.”

“This has nothing to do with sports, this is a political agenda,” Srdjan added. “Novak is the best player and the best athlete in the world, but several hundred million people from the west can’t stomach that.”

A refugee in the same detention hotel as Djokovic had showed the UK’s ITV News on Thursday around the room he has been confined to for five months.

Adnan Choopani said the food at the Park Hotel in Carlton was “disgusting”, and that he and Djokovic were being “humiliated” by the Australian government.

“I don’t wish detention for nobody, I don’t wish it for any human. No matter what,” Choopani told ITV News.

“The Australian detention system and detention places are the same as hell. I feel Djokovic has been a victim of Australian politicians … he has been victim of a political game.

“We’ve been receiving mouldy bread, the food is kind of disgusting and we don’t have access to fresh air. We’re under guard 24/7 and the windows can’t be opened at any stage.

“Djokovic is being humiliated like how we are being humiliated by Australian politicians and I reckon he’s being used to send a signal about how the Australian government are focused on border protection.”

The 34-year-old Serbian’s mother Dijana Djokovic also said her son was being scapegoated, as she and her husband displayed the nine Norman Brookes Challenge Cups he has won at the Australian Open.

“If you are a mother you can imagine just how I feel,” she said. “I feel terrible since yesterday. The last 24 hours, they are keeping him as a prisoner. It’s just not fair, it’s not human.

“Our Novak, our pride,” Dijana Djokovic added. “Novak is Serbia, and Serbia is Novak. They want to clip his wings, but we know how strong he is.”