While he was to attend his son’s semi-final, Novak Djokovic’s father will not be present in the end.
Novak Djokovic is a player who makes people talk on the field, but often outside. In recent hours, a controversy related to the presence of his father in the stands for the semi-final of the Australian Open has grown. The reason ? Srdan Djokovic appeared with pro-Russian supporters, arousing anger and some indignation.
The father of the Serbian player finally explained, in a press release, that he would not attend the Australian Open semi-final between his son and the American Tommy Paul scheduled for Friday January 27. “I’m here to support my son only, he said. I have no intention of making so many headlines or causing disruption. I was outside the stadium with Novak fans like I’ve done it before after my son’s games to celebrate his wins and take pictures with them. I didn’t mean to get caught up in it. My family went through the horror of war and we just hope for peace. So there will be no disruption to the semi-final tonight for my son or the other player, I have chosen to watch (the game) at home. I hope for a great game and I will support my son as always.”
find out more
Who is Novak Djokovic? Express biography
Novak Djokovic was born on May 22, 1987 in Belgrade, the Serbian capital. He started tennis very early at the age of four, a sport where his idol was the American Pete Sampras. Son of Srdjan and Dijana, “Nole” has two brothers who also play tennis: Marko and Djordje. Considered one of the best players in the history of the yellow ball with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic has won 21 Grand Slam titles, one less than the Spaniard. Since the start of his professional career in 2003, he has won 88 tournaments and amassed over $158 million in earnings.
Novak Djokovic is considered one of the most complete players on the circuit. On a court, the Serb can both defend and attack and his ability to return opposing serves allows him to often take the upper hand in exchanges. He is also one of the most technical players where his anticipation, his reflexes, his cushioning and his wide range of tennis are formidable. His ability to adapt to all playing surfaces is one of “Djoko’s” strengths.
Novak Djokovic met Jelena Ristic during her school career in Belgrade in the early 2000s. Not everything was easy for the young lovers, since Novak played his tournaments all over the world while Jelena completed her studies in Italy. The couple finally took up residence in Monaco and decided to get married in 2014. Jelena gave birth to their son Stefan in 2014, then to a little girl named Tara, in 2016. At the same time, Jelena Djokovic is director of the Novak Djokovic foundation, which the promotion of education in their native country.