Novak Djokovic appears in secret Nigel Farage file as MPs left furious

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic has uncharacteristically appeared in a leaked document outlining the reasons exclusive bank Coutts closed the bank account of former UKIP leader Nigel Farage. The issue sparked heated debate among ministers after it was raised by Tory MPs during Prime Minister's Questions.

Djokovic has taken a strong stance against accepting the Covid vaccine during the pandemic, which has seen him kicked out of Australia and denied entry to several tournaments until restrictions on unvaccinated players are eased.

Farage showing his support for the Serb on social media apparently played a role in the controversial closure of his account by Coutts - the bank used by the royal family. A 40-page filing received by Farage also cited his retweet of a Ricky Gervais joke as part of their concerns about the association with "xenophobia and racism".

According to , the document mentions Farage's visit to Djokovic's trophy room in Belgrade, referring to an article that described the former politician's behavior as "cowardly". And page 38 of the document, which was shown to Farage, discusses the 59-year-old's support for a tweet Djokovic posted in June last year.

“No matter how many times you get vaccinated, you can still catch coronavirus,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion wrote. "It's no longer a matter of health - it's a matter of state control."

This tweet was one of 13 that Coutts considered before deciding to shut down Farage's account. Bank officials said, "The Committee did not believe that continuing to bank [Nigel Farage] was compatible with Coutts, given his publicly stated views that were at odds with our position as an inclusive organization."

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Among MPs exasperated by the situation is Energy Secretary Grant Shapps who, despite previous clashes with Farage, called the decision a "disgrace".

Express Sport has contacted Coutts for comment.

With Djokovic's ejection on the eve of the Australian Open now over 18 months ago, the 36-year-old was one of Wimbledon's stars earlier this month as he fought through to the men's final, before losing to world number one Carlos Alcaraz in an epic five-set thriller.

Djokovic, who claims to have always been a "great student of wellness, health and nutrition", periodically taunted the crowd on center court as they cheered on Alcaraz on Sunday.

The veteran was gracious in the loss, however, saying after the match: "I've never played against a player like him, to be honest. Both Roger [Federer] and Rafa [Nadal] have their own strengths and weaknesses. Carlos is a very complete player. Incredible adaptive skills which I think are the key to longevity and a successful career on all surfaces."