Wave of reactions from Srdjan Djokovic’s move
Photos of Srdjan Djokovic, father of the famous tennis player, posing with pro-Russians and Putin supporters in Melbourne yesterday, on the sidelines of the Australian Open, are making the rounds on the internet today.
After the Serbian tennis player’s quarter-final match against Russian Andrei Rublev, a group of fans unfurled Russian flags, including one with the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Z symbol and the so-called flag of the Donetsk People’s Republic, near at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, while chanting pro-Russian slogans.
The police then broke up the rally but Novak Djokovic’s father caught up and posed for a photo with them, smiling and saying “long live the Russians”.
The man in the black t-shirt with the Z is wearing the logo of the Russian motorcycle gang The Night Wolves, and the Z is the name of the gang’s president, Alexander Zaldostanov. Zaldostanov is considered a personal friend of Putin, who is even on the European Union’s sanctions list last year.
Also, the letter “Z” is considered a pro-war symbol associated with Russia’s support for the invasion of Ukraine.
This is…quite a mess for them #AusOpento say the least.
Srdjan Djokovic posing with the pro-Putin rally last night just outside Rod Laver Arena.
The levels of security breakdowns that allowed for this are staggering.
Story/video via @jamesgraysport:https://t.co/L4gtaKKNP6 pic.twitter.com/qnOx3MGYqB
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 26, 2023
The scenes were described as “shameful” by the Ukrainian ambassador in Canberra and caused a lot of reactions on twitter.
That’s why Djokovic will never, ever be the GOAT. Even with 25 Grand Slams.
It takes more than just playing tennis to be that.#Russia #Djokovic https://t.co/7XBvmymO12— Karolos Grohmann (@karolosgrohmann) January 26, 2023
It is recalled that the organizers of the tournament have forbidden the spectators to open flags of Russia and Belarus, while, since the beginning of the war, Russian and Belarusian tennis players have been participating in matches under a neutral flag and as independents.
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
