Novak Djokovic has made no secret of his delight over the massive political upheaval in his homeland, Serbia. Former President Aleksandar Vucic had to relinquish authority after he conceded defeat to the Student List in the country’s snap parliamentary election.
The hegemony of Serbia’s longtime leader Vucic lasted for more than a decade. His exit comes after almost two years of relentless youth-led protests ignited by the death of 16 people in a railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad in 2024.
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The 39-year-old, who relocated to Greece last year after backing the student protests against Vucic’s allies, beamed with satisfaction. The veteran star struck an emotional, defiant note and publicly praised the students who forced a change of regime.
“I’m very happy about this. My deepest respect to the students who fought and showed dignity and resilience. I have lots of admiration for what they’ve done. They managed to create a sense of pride in Serbia and in the world. The victory is secure and we all now have hopes that our country will be prosperous and enjoy the future that is coming,” Novak Djokovic told reporters on the sidelines of the Swiss Indoors in Basel.
After being branded a traitor, the World No. 12 relocated from Serbia to Athens, Greece, with his family. According to reports, the Serbian enrolled his children Stefan and Tara in St Lawrence College in Athens.
Novak Djokovic opens up about choosing Greece as his new home
Along with his family, Novak Djokovic also shifted the Belgrade Open to Athens, a tournament owned by his brother. The 39-year-old explained he prefers the Greek lifestyle, elaborating on what attracted him to that part of the world.
“It is also because of the weather, the food is incredible, you are on one of the nicest coastlines in Europe, in the world. I just love the lifestyle, you know, and I really feel that the Greek and Serbian people are like brothers, so this is the biggest reason,” the former World No. 1 said last year.
Vucic’s recent defeat has changed Serbia’s political landscape; however, Novak Djokovic has yet to announce his return to his home country. On the tennis front, the Serbian maestro is currently in Basel, set to face Ugo Humbert in his campaign opener on Wednesday.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion will hope to stage a deep run, considering he is in the race for a spot in the ATP Finals in Turin.
Edited by Pritha Ghosh
