Two days after the Ukraine war landed at Roland Garros, due to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk’s refusal to greet her Belarusian rival Aryna Sabalenka, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic brought the tense situation in Kosovo to the clay court Grand Slam.
“Kosovo is the heart of Serbia! Stop the violence,” wrote the player on the camera that makes the tournament available to the winners on the center court to send a message at the end of their matches.
A clear reference to the growing tension in that area that declared itself independent, not recognized by many countries, and where the Serb minority does not recognize Pristina’s authority.
The problem is that Roland Garros rules prohibit political messages on court, so the tournament director, Amelie Mauresmo, assured that they are studying the situation.
“Let’s see, to talk to him to find out what he really meant. Let’s not hurry,” the former world number 1 said on French public television.
The situation could be compromised before the tournament against a player as influential as Djokovic, the current number 3 in the rankings, who is seeking his third Paris crown to complete 23rd, which would place him as the greatest tennis player in history, surpassing Spaniard Rafael Nadal for one.
In a subsequent press conference, Djokovic tried to avoid controversy, but noted that “as the son of a person born in Kosovo, there is an added responsibility to support the people and all of Serbia.”
It is not the first time that the tennis player has spoken out against the independence of that area.
In 2008, when Pristina declared it, Djokovic said he was going through “one of the worst moments” in the country’s history and assured, “We are ready to defend what belongs to us.”
This new controversy comes two days after the one between Sabalenka and Kostyuk.
The Ukrainian refused to greet her Belarusian rival, number 2 in the world, accusing her of not taking a firm stand against the war.
The gesture earned Kostyuk boos from the crowd, an attitude that made the player ugly, hinting that this wouldn’t happen in other Grand Slams like Wimbledom.
Sabalenka said that “no one in this world, including Russian and Belarusian athletes, supports this war,” but it was not enough for the Ukrainian, who counterattacked: “Don’t let her speak for others, but alone.”
Source: El heraldo
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
