Australia, which as of late has demonstrated a penchant for ticking off other countries, has decided that Serbia will be its latest opponent on the world stage as it has placed tennis star and defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in a holding pattern. More specifically, Djokovic is holed up in a Carlton (suburb of Melbourne) hotel while all parties involved fight it out over whether his vaccination exemption detailed earlier is valid. From ESPN (yes, I know).

The Australian Border Force issued a statement saying Djokovic failed to meet entry requirements.

“The rule is very clear,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told a news conference Thursday. “You need to have a medical exemption. He didn’t have a valid medical exemption. We make the call at the border, and that’s where it’s enforced.”

One wonders how little the presumed leader of a country has to do when he can call a press conference regarding one tennis player and then tweet about it. But I digress.

Serbian president Aleksandru Vučiću is decidedly not amused, using his Instagram account to fire back at Morrison et al.

Vučiću said Serbian authorities were taking measures “so the harassment of the best tennis player in the world be stopped in the shortest possible time.

“In line with all norms of international law, Serbia will fight for Novak, truth and justice. Novak is strong, as we all know.”

For example, the Australian ambassador to Serbia has been called on the Belgrade carpet for a “friendly” chat about the matter.

Unsurprisingly, the ESPN story omits two significant factors in this issue. One, there can be zero doubt Morrison felt compelled to go full blustery buffaloing bull due to major pushback from Australian citizens who, from the COVID panicdemic’s onset, have been subjected to abuse of the worst kind by their government in the name of slowing the spread. Which, to the surprise of no one, hasn’t worked. The sheeple media has attempted to paint a picture of public hue and cry over Djokovic’s original exemption. Still, in Realville, the anger is aimed at their own government’s sledgehammering of its citizens. (Yo, Aussies — might I suggest voting different next time around?)

Second, and perhaps even more important, is how the “trust the science” brigade, said science fervently hoping short-term memory loss is in play so no one will remember the “science” can’t tell the same story two days consecutively, is that Djokovic has protection against COVID those who’ve been jobbed by getting the jive jab do not enjoy. Namely, having already had, and recovered from, COVID. Natural immunity appears to be the best immunity at this point.

The entire mess reeks of Morrison desperately trying to divert attention from his government being all hat and no cattle regarding COVID management. It’s not working. Making him look foolish and a denier of the actual science? That he is pulling off quite nicely. Regardless of how this turns out, one thing is clear. It is Morrison, not Djokovic, getting roasted next to the shrimp on the barbie.