Paris: Novak Djokovic has claimed that he was "poisoned" by lead and mercury in his food while he was briefly held in Melbourne in 2022 before being deported on the eve of the Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic was "poisoned" by the food he ingested while detained during his 2022 Australian Open visa saga, the former world number one told GQ in an interview released on Thursday. The Serbian 24-times major winner had his visa cancelled ahead of the tournament following days of drama over Australia's COVID-19 entry rules and his unvaccinated status,

Djokovic told Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper this week that he still has trauma from his experiences three years ago and feels stress when arriving at the city's airport.