NOVAK BETWEEN GOAT AND ČIČA DRAŽA: Is it time to deny Djokovic hospitality?

By Delvin Kovač

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Aside from his tennis skills, he is definitely among the best, if not the best tennis player in the world of all time (the English term is GOAT). But why does he need to meddle in politics in his life? And nationalistic outbursts? Is he desperately trying to emphasize his Serbian identity and Serbian heroism?

On several occasions, we have had the opportunity to see Novak Đoković from Belgrade with three raised fingers. He also expressed his (not so hidden) Chetnik affiliation by posing with a Chetnik flag, under which members of the infamous Ravna Gora Movement of war criminal Draža Mihailović committed terrible atrocities during World War II. And when things aren't going well for him on the court, that's when we get to see his true face.

"Kosovo is the heart of Serbia," is the scandalous message Đoković wrote on a camera lens after defeating American Aleksandar Kovačević, of Balkan roots, in the first round of Roland Garros in Paris. "And I would repeat the same thing again," Đoković, who fortunately is not being punished by the tournament organizers in the French capital, does not regret his actions. It would certainly be a big blow to his ego, considering that for the past year and a half, he has been unable to participate in several major tournaments due to not being vaccinated against the coronavirus. Last year, among others, the Australian Open in Melbourne and the US Open in New York banned him from participating.

And that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree is proven by his father, Srđan. With the exclamation "Long live Russia" and posing with fans waving (pro)Russian flags at this year's Australian Open, where his son took the title, Srđan drew the wrath of the world public. It is obvious that Srđan has largely - but primarily in a negative way - indoctrinated his son Novak, who is following in his right-wing footsteps.

When Nole isn't doing his best on the court, nervousness makes him one of the most disliked tennis players on the ATP Tour. Three years ago, he didn't do well at the US Open when, due to an outburst of anger and unsportsmanlike conduct, he hit a line judge with a ball and forced the organizers to disqualify him in the round of 16 (he was playing against Carreno-Busta). Let's also recall his extremely rude behavior at the Masters 1000 series tournament in Madrid in 2013. He irritated the Spanish crowd with his on-court behavior against the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (Dimitrov eventually eliminated him in the second round), turning them against him. And after barely winning the second set in a tie-break, he told the Madrid crowd at the top of his lungs twice: "Now you're going to lick my a**." Not to mention his regular yelling at his box and coaches. The question is, why does a famous tennis name like Goran Ivanišević allow himself this? Certainly, the only and most logical answer for Ivanišević is - money. Đoković is disliked not only among fans and fellow tennis players but also among politicians. And Serbian ones at that. The President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, recently called Đoković's family "quite gypsy-like."

And now let's return to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Đoković has visited on several occasions. He was regularly hosted by the Bosnian Indiana Jones - Semir Osmanagić, the discoverer of the Visoko pyramids, which he has almost privatized. To Đoković's misfortune, the incredible healing properties of the tunnels under the pyramids, which Osmanagić praised on several occasions, nor the mere proximity of Visoko, did not help him win the title in Banja Luka. Surprisingly, he was eliminated in the quarterfinals by his friend from Belgrade, Dušan Lajović, who later lifted the trophy.

The friendship between Osmanagić and Đoković has lasted for several years, and from this friendship, two tennis courts have emerged in the pyramid complex in Visoko, which even larger world tennis centers would envy. However, these courts are now empty and locked - for Semir's - reasons that are incomprehensible, well-informed sources tell us.

For Đoković, the internationally recognized state of Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Does this perhaps mean that tomorrow Republika Srpska, although it is an entity that is part of the internationally recognized state of Bosnia and Herzegovina - will be part of Serbia for Đoković? Every time Đoković sets foot on the soil of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the local media give him enormous attention. And then his radical, far-right, and nationalistic views on certain issues are put aside. The question arises, should a person with such views be allowed to continue strutting near the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina? And allow him to continue doing business in our country, given that information has already appeared in the media that he intends to open a hotel in Banja Luka, and that he wants to do the same in Visoko, where he has allegedly already bought land?

With his behavior, Đoković has not only deserved to be banned from visiting but also to have his business dealings and possibility of staying in the vicinity of Sarajevo re-examined. And no matter how much Đoković uses his Serbian identity as a marketing trick, the citizens of Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina are still healing from the symbols that the former world number one is proud of. The capital city and Bosnia and Herzegovina have always valued champions, but only those who have kept their successes clean and outside the radical political spectrum and iconography of criminals. Novak is not. That is why he should be denied hospitality.