Australian Open: Djokovic in detention drama

NOVAK Djokovic is due to be thrown back into a detention centre in hours after his visa was revoked for a second time.

The 34-year tennis star is facing deportation after the Australian government stepped in but has been given time to appeal.

The decision is the latest dramatic twist in the saga over over anti-vaxxer Djokovic's jab status, which saw his visa revoked when he first landed Down Under.

The men's tennis number one was scheduled to play in the Australian Open, which begins on Monday and for which he is the number one seed.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used his powers to revoke Djokovic's visa on "health and good order" grounds and overturn an earlier successful appeal against the Victorian state's decision to cancel his visa.

His legal team immediately launched a desperate last minute appeal to keep him in Australia and in the meantime he has been told he can stay in his rented flat

But he will be detained at 8am on Saturday morning local time, a government lawyer told the emergency court hearing.

He will then be kept in detention except to attend online court hearings at his solicitors' offices, with Border Force officials deployed on the same floor, he said.

If he loses his appeal and is deported then he would banned from Australia for three years.