MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) — 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.

The former world No. 1 had his visa canceled and was eventually kicked out of the country over his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid.

He was held in a detention hotel as he fought a fruitless legal battle to remain.

“I had some health issues. And I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne I was fed some food that poisoned me,” the 37-year-old Djokovic told GQ Magazine in a lengthy interview published Thursday.

“I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discovered that I had a really high level of heavy metal. I had lead, a very high level of lead and mercury.”

When asked if he believed his food was contaminated, the Serbian replied: “That’s the only way.”

A spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Home Affairs said it could not comment on individual cases “for privacy reasons.”

But the government says a lease agreement with the Park Hotel where he was held provides for freshly cooked, individually portioned lunches and dinners for detainees.

All catering staff have undertaken food safety certifications, it says.

And, as of 31 December 2021, the hotel had been providing samples of the food provided to detainees at each meal to the contractor responsible for detention services.

Australia said detainees had access to a variety of food and drink that was nutritious, culturally appropriate and satisfied specific medical or dietary requirements.

They were also offered breakfast items such as bread, cereal, noodles, tea and coffee at any time of the day or night.

Djokovic will be bidding for an 11th Australian Open title and a record-setting 25th major when the season’s first Grand Slam event gets underway on Sunday.

He insists that he does not hold “any grudge over the Australian people” despite the 2022 controversy. A year later, he returned to Melbourne where he swept to the title.

“A lot of Australian people that I met in Australia the last few years or elsewhere in the world, have come up to me, apologising to me for the treatment I received because they were embarrassed by their own government at that point,” he said.

“And I think the government’s changed, and they reinstated my visa, and I was very grateful for that.”

“I actually love being there, and I think my results are a testament to my sensation of playing tennis and just being in that country.”

However, he added: “Never met the people that deported me from that country a few years ago. I don’t have a desire to meet with them. If I do one day, that’s fine as well. I’m happy to shake hands and move on.”