MELBOURNE – Novak Djokovics Father decided to stay away from the 21-time Grand Slam champion’s semifinals after he was involved in a takedown Spectators who brought banned Russian flags to Melbourne Park, Tennis Australia said on Friday.
In a press release emailed to reporters about 2 1/2 hours before Djokovic’s scheduled clash Thomas Paul For a place in the men’s singles final, tournament organizers said Srdjan Djokovic had “issued a statement confirming that he will not participate”.
“Throughout the event we spoke to players and their teams about the importance of not engaging in activities that cause stress or disruption,” said Tennis Australia.
“We will continue to work to ensure the safety of fans at the event and reaffirm our position to ban flags from Belarus and Russia,” the group added. ”
Following the younger Djokovic’s quarter-final victory over Russian player Andrey Rublev on Wednesday, Srdjan Djokovic was filmed outside the Rod Laver Arena with a group of people waving Russian flags – at least one with a picture of Vladimir Putin.
Four people were kicked out of the tournament that night because of the flags and threats to security forces, police and Tennis Australia said.
On January 17, the second day of the Australian Open, flags from Russia and Belarus were banned from Melbourne Park after more than one spectator was brought into the stands the previous day.
Flags may normally be displayed at Melbourne Park during matches. But Tennis Australia reversed that policy for the two countries involved in the invasion of Ukraine that began nearly a year ago, saying the flags would cause disruption.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus were banned from participating in various sporting events last year, including the men’s soccer World Cup and Wimbledon, the Billie Jean King Cup and the Davis Cup in tennis, because of the war in Ukraine. Russia invaded in February with the help of Belarus.
Russian and Belarusian players were allowed to play at the Australian Open, French Open and US Open, but as “neutral” athletes, so their nationality is not recognized in any official schedule or result for the event, and their countries’ flags are not displayed on TV graphics .
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