Djokovic’s Dad Reacts Following Russian Protest Controversy

Srdjan Djokovic was not present for his son's Australian Open semifinal in Melbourne on Friday. His absence followed a recent incident where he unintentionally became involved in a pro-Russia demonstration after his son Novak's match against Andrey Rublev earlier that week.

On Thursday, footage surfaced online showing Srdjan Djokovic next to an individual holding a Russian flag adorned with an image of President Vladimir Putin. This individual was also wearing a shirt featuring the ‘Z’ symbol, which is linked to Russian troops in Ukraine.

After Novak's match with Rublev, it was reported that several supporters had been detained by Australian authorities for violating a ban on the display of the Russian tricolor during the Grand Slam tournament.

In a statement from his representatives, Srdjan Djokovic announced his decision to skip Friday's match and emphasized that he had not meant to cause any "disruption" at the event.

Srdjan Djokovic stated, “I am here to support my son only. I had no intention of causing such headlines or disruption. I was outside with Novak’s fans as I have done after all of my son’s matches to celebrate his wins and take pictures with them. I had no intention of being caught up in this. My family has lived through the horror of war, and we wish only for peace. So there is no disruption to tonight’s semifinal for my son or for the other player, I have chosen to watch from home. I wish for a great match and I will be cheering for my son, as always.”

The ban on Russian flags at the Australian Open was enacted after an earlier match between Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl and Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova, during which Russian supporters allegedly disrupted the game.

Tennis Australia responded to the incident involving Srdjan Djokovic, explaining, “After the events of Wednesday night, we acted swiftly to work with police and our security teams to have the instigators of the protest removed from the venue. Throughout the event, we’ve spoken with players and their teams about the importance of not engaging in any activity that causes distress or disruption. Mr. Srdjan Djokovic has issued a statement confirming that he will not attend tonight’s semifinal. We will continue to strive for the safety of fans at the event and reiterate our position banning flags from Belarus and Russia. Tennis Australia stands with the call for peace and an end to war and violent conflict in Ukraine.”

Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News