Novak Djokovic’s father gives up on attending the Australian Open – Liberation

by time news

War between Ukraine and Russiadossier

Criticized for his appearance in a video with pro-Russian fans showing their support for the invasion of Ukraine, Srdjan Djokovic has issued an apology and will not attend his son’s semi-final on Friday.

Dad won’t go. Srdjan Djokovic, at the center of a controversy at the Australian Open with pro-Russian fans, announced this Friday morning that he was giving up going to the stadium to attend the semi-final of his son Novak in the day, so as not to inflame tensions.

«I am only here to support my son. I didn’t mean to make headlines or cause any disruption […]. So that there are no disruptions during the semi-final for my son or his opponent, I chose to watch the match from home“, wrote Srdjan Djokovic in a press release. The father of “Nole” also gave his vision of the incident. “I was outside with the Novak fans like I did after all of my son’s matches to celebrate his wins and take pictures with them. I didn’t mean to be dragged into this commotion“, he says.

What do we blame him for? Wednesday, January 25, after the match between his son against the Russian Rublev, Srdjan Djokovic was filmed in the company of fans displaying the Russian flag hitting the face of Vladimir Putin. Next to him, supporters wear T-shirts supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine and send a message of support to Alekansdr Zaldostanov, the boss of the Night Wolves biker gang. In his press release, the father of the tennis player also declares: “My family has lived through the horror of war, and we only want peace.”

This video provoked a strong reaction from the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia who demanded that Srdjan Djokovic be withdrawn from his accreditation for the tournament. He also claimed “excusesfrom the player himself, yet involved neither near nor far.

“Throughout the tournament, we have spoken with the players and their teams about the importance of not engaging in activities that could cause disruption.underlined for its part the Australian Federation of tennis. We reiterate the ban on the flags of Belarus and Russia»

The previous vaccine

Initially allowed in the grounds of Melbourne Park, where the Australian Open is played, the Russian and Belarusian flags were banned at the request of the Ukrainian embassy in Canberra, after some had been deployed in the stands throughout the competition.

Novak Djokovic is being scrutinized by the entire tennis world at the Australian Open, as he was expelled from the country last year for lack of a Covid vaccine. The Serb faces the American Tommy Paul this Friday in the semi-final.

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