2023-05-30 19:18:45
Novak Djokovic’s sentence after his match at Roland-Garros about Kosovo, “the heart of Serbia”, once again fuels the image of this extraordinary player, master in the art of controversy
The quest for his 23rd Grand Slam on the Parisian ocher, a title which would represent one of the greatest feats in the history of sport, has not extinguished this provocative fire which characterizes the Serb, with a career studded with controversy , misunderstandings, missteps and misunderstandings.
After his match won on Monday against the American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/1), the Serb, armed with his marker, wrote a few words in Cyrillic on the camera of the Philippe- Chatter.
Words as a political message: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia! Stop the violence.” This exit of the world No. 3 comes as northern Kosovo has been the scene for several days of clashes between members of the international force led by NATO (KFOR) and Serb demonstrators who are demanding the departure of Albanian mayors from the locality.
‘Not a politician’
The player then justified himself at a press conference in front of Serbian journalists. “It’s a sensitive subject. I feel an additional responsibility as a public figure and as the son of a man born in Kosovo to give my support to all the Serbian people. It’s the least I can do .I am not a politician and I have no intention of engaging in a debate,” he said.
However, this is not the first time that the player has spoken about Kosovo: in January 2008, after his first Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open, he said: “Kosovo is Serbia.” Serbia, supported by its Russian and Chinese allies, has never recognized the independence proclaimed in 2008 by its former province and tensions regularly erupt between Belgrade and Pristina.
Djokovic’s sentence could however not remain without follow-up because the Roland-Garros ethics charter prohibits political or religious positions. “I don’t know if they are going to sanction me,” he replied at a press conference.
This sentence should not affect the ongoing clashes according to Lukas Macek. “I think there is a part of Serbian public opinion that sees Djokovic as a sports icon. He has a popularity that goes beyond political preferences. Afterwards, there is a bit of another Djokovic, who bothers part of his fans and who exalt others, and it was particularly visible on the part vaccines”, estimates the researcher.
“Provocative Side”
However, his position against the anti-Covid vaccine cost him dearly, with several days of detention and his highly publicized expulsion from Australia in January 2022. An incredible sequence founding a conspiratorial stature for some.
“He especially takes positions that are not in the + Western mainstream +. There is a provocative side to him, undeniably, analyzes Lukas Macek. His + Covid-Tour + organized in the former Yugoslavia in the midst of a pandemic, which turned to the cluster, perfectly illustrates these asperities.”
His disqualification in his round of 16 at the 2020 US Open after unintentionally hitting a linesman in an angry move had already placed Djokovic on a shortlist of tough-tempered players, whom his many racquet throws had pierced.
Behind the scenes, his attempts to reorganize the circuit did not have the desired echo either. His personality, probably an enigma for many, “seems to cut him off from a popularity commensurate with his talent”, said a tournament director a few years ago. This judgment could perhaps change in the event of a victory at Porte d’Auteuil.
This article has been published automatically. Sources: ats / afp
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