As the Australian Open got under way, Novak Djokovic claimed he had been poisoned.

The Serbian tennis star, who is aiming for his 11th Australian Open title, stated in a press conference on Jan. 9 that he was poisoned during his COVID-19 detention and quarantine in Australia in 2022. Djokovic, who was deported from Australia in 2024 due to his vaccination status, stated he had experienced severe illness after eating food provided while he was in custody in Melbourne.

“Let’s just say I felt very unwell for a long time afterwards,” Djokovic said. “I had a very high level of lead and mercury.”

Djokovic added that he has “proof,” but declined to elaborate, stating that he wants to “focus on the tennis and why I’m here.”

The revelation sent shockwaves through the tennis world and ignited a storm of speculation. Some fans and players have expressed sympathy and outrage on Djokovic’s behalf, while others remain skeptical given the lack of concrete evidence.

Australian authorities have not responded to the allegations. However, some health experts have cast doubt on Djokovic’s claims.

Reports in The Guardian cited Damian Maganja, a researcher in food policy at the George Institute for Global Health, who said Djokovic’s claim was a “wild accusation.”

“It’s possible, but very unlikely,” Maganja said. “These meals were probably made in mass amounts, and there haven’t been other reports as far as I know.”

Superfan Junior Eli Senor lamented that drama surrounding his favorite player detracts from casual tennis observers’ ability to fully appreciate Djokovic’s greatness. “The unfortunate thing is that non-tennis fans will never really be able to see how great Novak is,” Senor said. “I’m talking about at worst a top 3 athlete in history behind maybe MJ and Lebron. He is so solid all around. He crushes every opponent and beats them down over the course of the match.”