Date: May 31, 2023
Kosovo's tennis federation has accused Novak Djokovic, a Serbian tennis player, of exacerbating an already tense situation between Kosovo and Serbia. The controversy arose after Djokovic wrote "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia" on a camera lens following his first-round victory at the French Open.
On Monday, clashes between Serbian protesters and NATO peacekeeping soldiers in the northern Kosovo town of Zvecan resulted in injuries to 30 soldiers. This town holds significance for Djokovic as it is where his father grew up.
The majority Serbian population in Kosovo's north has never accepted the country's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008. They continue to regard Belgrade as their capital, despite a Kosovo Albanian uprising against Serbian rule over two decades ago. Ethnic Albanians constitute over 90% of Kosovo's total population.
The clashes coincided with the assumption of office by ethnic Albanian mayors in Serb-majority areas following elections that the Serbs had boycotted.
Djokovic's statement on the camera lens read, "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence," which he later defended as a show of support for his people and Serbia as a whole. While emphasizing his opposition to wars and violence, Djokovic characterized Kosovo's situation as a "precedent" in international law.
The president of the Kosovo tennis federation, Jeton Hadergjonaj, expressed regret over Djokovic's comments in a statement. Hadergjonaj accused Djokovic of using his status as a well-known personality to further stoke tensions between Serbia and Kosovo. The federation claimed that Djokovic had engaged in similar actions in the past.
The French Tennis Federation (FFT), the organizer of the French Open, stated that the same rules apply to all four Grand Slam tournaments. The tournament referee and Grand Slam supervisors ensure compliance with these rules, and any concerns related to players' actions are addressed by their respective teams.
Neither the International Tennis Federation (ITF) nor the ATP, which manages men's professional tennis, were available for comment on this matter as of Tuesday.