Coming to Melbourne to mark the history of tennis even more, Novak Djokovic had to leave Australia on Sunday without having played a single match and after losing a legal battle which could permanently damage his image. In Belgrade, if disappointment dominates, feelings are very divergent.
With our correspondent in Belgrade, Laurent Rouy
In the country, the tennis champion is a source of pride and many, from politicians to sports federations, have supported the tennis player until the end, starting with President Aleksander Vucic who even spoke of ” witch hunt to describe the Australian decision, and to orwellian trial “.
In Belgrade, we believed until the end that Djokovic would participate in the Australian Open. For Zoran, 50, it’s misunderstanding: ” I’m shocked. Supposedly Australia is a civilized country. First they give him permission to come and then… It could happen to you or me… He posed no threat. »
The media in Serbia talked a lot about the upcoming elections in Australia. Many people see it as more than a coincidence. Nikola, a 44-year-old Belgrader, is one of them:
” I think the whole thing is political manipulation. The decisions of the Australian government were linked to their elections, which are approaching. Their government needed some of their own to rise in the polls. »
Now that the hope of seeing Novak Djokovic win the Australian Open is lost, the unity of the Serbian population is cracking. Serbia being a country in which anti-Covid vaccination divides, some believe that Djokovic is responsible for what is happening to him like Dusan, 37: “ Personally, I am vaccinated. Thrice. He was tried and expelled from Australia according to the rules and the laws. Privileges, exceptions, it’s a form of discrimination. The rules should be the same for everyone. »