Djokovic's family orchestrates the protest choir
While Novak Djokovic is waiting in Melbourne for the decision to travel to Australia and take part in the first Turin Grand Slam of the year, his father Srdan is leading a protest movement.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Jan 07, 2022, 02:50 pm
Srdjan Djokovic's unbridled ardor had been felt in the tennis world for a number of years. Roger Federer is a “hypocritical gentleman”, “arrogant”, filled with “false friendliness” and should slowly hang up the bat at the age of 40, the hot-blooded papa once stated during his tirades against Djokovic's various rivals. Rafael Nadal also lacks the "necessary respect" for the deeds of his son Novak, and in general there is no recognition of any kind "in the West" for the "unique career" of the "best tennis player that has ever existed." what “Novak achieved, what hard road he took,” said Daddy Djokovic in the spring of last year, “love only hits him in China and Russia. His biggest fans sit there. "
Father Djokovic is currently sitting in Belgrade and orchestrating the protest choir against the ban on the entry of the world number one to Australia. He is connected via mobile phone to his son, who is still waiting for a court decision in a quarantine hotel in Melbourne - it will not be clarified until Monday whether the nine-time Australian Open winner will still be able to take part in the Grand Slam spectacle. Or whether, after a negative verdict, he will have to take the next plane to Europe. His son is in “Australian captivity” but has never been freer, said Djokovic Sr., he had “become the symbol and leader of the free world”, the “Spartacus of the new world who does not tolerate injustice, colonialism and hypocrisy . ”At a press conference in the“ Novak ”restaurant in Belgrade, which is run by the family, the 61-year-old even went one step further and compared the treatment of his son with the crucifixion of Jesus:“ They also try to do everything possible to him. ”
Dimitrov identified as the culprit
Djokovic's family early subordinated their entire life to the career of their eldest and most gifted son. The Djokovics ran restaurants and a catering business through their Family Sport company, founded in 2005, but they had to go into debt to finance Novak's career. Mother Dijana once spoke in an interview about how interest sharks had ripped off the family and how ever new usury conditions had been accepted - "just so as not to endanger our son's progress." Her two other sons, Marko and Djordje, also had the " terrible situation ”suffered. Coach Niki Pilic, the former German Davis Cup captain, helped the family financially when Novak Djokovic trained at a young age in Pilic's Munich Academy and made decisive progress.
Djokovi's family now runs the number one business in Serbia, including the “Cafe Novak” in Belgrade. The Djokovics also organized tennis tournaments in Serbia for some time, and in 2020 the controversial Adriatic Tour was also held, during which various invited professionals were infected with the corona virus. Father Srdjan, however, blamed the Bulgarian professional Grigor Dimitrov for the disaster at the time, who introduced the virus. The Djokovics have considerable influence in their Serbian homeland, after all, son Novak has long been considered a godlike national hero even by the highest political dignitaries. As the “chosen one”, said Mother Dijana, “who brought Serbia back its pride.”
Djokovic not a prisoner in Melbourne
If journalists in Serbia need a crisp headline on a controversial topic about the best tennis player in the world, a phone call to Papa Djokovic is usually enough. In the greatest crisis that surrounds his son, the formerly excellent skier and good footballer has now risen to a frightening, angry figure - always following his story, according to which the West is after his son, the family and all of Serbia. So the fight for entry to Australia is also about "completely different rights - freedom of speech and expression for our country." His son will fight, he is sure, "like we Serbs together with the whole Balkans." Help will also come from the very top, promised son Djordje after a conversation with the brother interned in Melbourne: “He told me that he had a spiritual blessing. God sees everything."
As for the family's alleged imprisonment of the “Capitano”, Australian Interior Minister Karen Andrews said succinctly: “Mr Djokovic is not being held in Australia. He can go at any time, and the border guards would be helpful. "The whole drama is completely unnecessary anyway, said Djokovic's former trainer Boris Becker:" Novak makes a big mistake by not getting vaccinated. "The mistake now threatens the rest of him as well Career, says Becker.