Srdan Dokovic, father of Serbian ace, Novak Djokovic, finds himself at the epicenter of a wave of backlash for his recent actions at the 2024 Australian Open.
Djokovic’s Father Dives Into Controversy
Four fans were evicted from the Australian Open for chanting Russian President Vladmir Putin’s name during the night. These four men were additionally seen unveiling the Russian flag.
In a YouTube video posted by ‘Aussie Cossack’, the World No 4’s father, Srdan Dokovic was spotted posing for a picture with the aforementioned men. The men alongside Dokovic were donning a pro-Russia ‘Z’ shirt whilst displaying a flag with Vladmir Putin’s face on it. We understand that this picture was snapped before the men were evicted.
The ‘Z’ symbol (ziga) is a controversial symbol of support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The symbol in question has been banned from being displayed in various countries.
Before leaving the group, Djokovic’s father can be seen providing his support for the Russian cause by chanting, “Zivejli Russiyani.” The channel translates Srdan’s chant as, “Long live the Russians.” But a direct translation of “Zivejli Russiyani” is “Cheers Russians.”
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Tennis Australia Reaction
Tennis Australia released a statement regarding the eviction of the four men from the Rod Laver Arena.
“Four people in the crowd leaving the stadium revealed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards. The comfort and safety of everyone is our priority and we work closely with security and authorities.”
The Victoria Police has gotten involved and will question the parties involved and investigate the matter.
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Novak Djokovic Hasn’t Been Shy About His Support For Ukraine
One must not rush to deflect blame to Novak Djokovic for his father’s actions. In fact, Djokovic has supported the Ukrainian cause. He had reached out to fellow Ukrainian player, Sergiy Stakhovsky, inquiring about his status in Ukraine and expressing his hope for everything to calm down soon. He proceeded to ask Stakhovsky what the best address would be to send financial help or help of any kind.
Novak Djokovic is in ruthless form right now. He breezed past Russia’s Andrey Rublev in the Quarter-finals of the 2024 Australian Open. The match ended with a dominant score-line of 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
Djokovic is now scheduled to take on Tommy Paul in a Semi-final encounter tomorrow at the Rod Laver Arena.
This will be Djokovic’s tenth Australian Open Semi-final. He is only behind Roger Federer in the list of most number of Grand Slam finals – 44 compared to Federer’s 46.
The Serb is well on his way to clinch his tenth Australian Open. He has the stellar record of never losing the tournament after reaching the Semi-finals of the Australian Open.
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