While controversy erupted when Novak Djokovic, the Serbian tennis star, made an explosive remark at the French Open 2023, one of the world's greatest tennis stars has refused to take back his words but instead remained firm on his stand. Notably, Djokovic had written "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence" on a TV camera on Monday after his first round match at the Roland Garros in Paris. And now after a convincing win over Marton Fucsovics in the second round on Wednesday, Djokovic has defended his statement. "I would say it again, but I don't need to because you have my quotes," he said.
"I'm aware that a lot of people would disagree, but it is what it is. It's something that I stand for. So that's all," he said. While talking to the Serb media, Djokovic had even gone on to say that Kosovo is Serbia's cradle. Djokovic's steadfastness on the matter has intensified the ongoing debate surrounding his public expression of political beliefs.
While the International Tennis Federation (ITF) was asked by the Kosovo Tennis Federation to sanction Djokovic for his contentious claims, the world tennis governing body did not find it in violation of the regulations. Notably, Kosovo, which is mostly inhabitated by the Muslim ethnic Albanians, first broke away from the then-Yogoslavia before declaring independence in 2008. However, despite them claiming to be an independent nation, the same has not been able to be accepetd by Serbia or its ally Russia who are both Christian-majority states.
As Djokovic advances in the tournament, his unwavering stance on the Kosovo issue continues to fuel discussions and ignite further speculation about the intersection of sports and politics. While his on-court performances remain exceptional, the controversy surrounding his off-court remarks adds an additional layer of complexity to his journey at the French Open 2023.