#MESSAGES OPEN FREE#

It has been a turbulent month for Serbia - with mass shootings and multiple protests - and ethnic-Serbs in Kosovo. And Serbians with family ties to Kosovo are particularly keen to ensure that Serbia's policy of non-recognition continues. Serbia is one of scores of countries which refuse to recognise Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. And many of the most important sites of the Serbian Orthodox Church are within modern-day Kosovo. The 1389 Battle of Kosovo has been mythologised as the crucial event in the forging of Serbian identity. After all, Kosovo became independent in 2008 - and its geographical location in the south west meant that, even before then, it was always on the periphery of Serbia.īut its symbolic significance remains highly important to many Serbs. 'Kosovo is the heart of Serbia' might seem like an odd statement. Guy Delauney, BBC News Balkans correspondent 'Messages are passed on to the teams of any players concerned by such matters.' Djokovic's message 'bound to ruffle feathers' The tournament referee and Grand Slam Supervisors ensure that these rules are complied with,' read a statement. 'The same rules apply to all four Grand Slams.

The French Tennis Federation, which organises the French Open, said there are no rules on what players can say at Grand Slams, and that it is 'understandable' that discussions about international news events took place at the tournament. On Tuesday the Tennis Federation of Kosovo said Djokovic's actions would 'directly result' in increasing tension between the two countries. 'Novak Djokovic has yet again promoted the Serbian nationalists' propaganda and used the sport platform to do so,' said Ismet Krasniqi, president of Kosovo's Olympic Committee. Kosovo Olympic authorities have asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to open disciplinary proceedings against Djokovic, accusing him of stirring up political tension. 'Of course it hurts me very much as a Serb to see what is happening in Kosovo and the way our people have been practically expelled from the municipal offices, so the least I could do was this.' There are many reasons why I wrote that on the camera. 'Kosovo is our cradle, our stronghold, centre of the most important things for our country.

'Especially as a son of a man born in Kosovo, I feel the need to give my support to our people and to the entirety of Serbia,' said Djokovic. Speaking to Serbian journalists the 22-time Grand Slam singles champion, whose father was born in Kosovo, said he was 'against wars, violence and any kind of conflict' but that the situation Kosovo is a 'precedent in international law'. 'I feel like if you stand for something, you think that this is the way, you should say.'ĭjokovic, 36, has defended his message, which he wrote immediately after his first-round win over Aleksandar Kovacevic on Tuesday.

#MESSAGES OPEN FREE#

'We are living in the free world, so why not say your opinion on something?' said Svitolina, after beating Storm Hunter in round two. Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who has repeatedly spoken out about tennis' response to the Russian invasion, said Djokovic should be allowed to give his view. Even if you'd like there to always be fair play up to and including the handshake, but there's pain and I respect it.' 'What's happening for Ukrainians on the circuit is so painful, so difficult,' said Oudea-Castera. That includes supporting Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk, who was booed by the crowd after she refused to shake hands with Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus on Sunday.īelarus is an ally of Russia and allowed troops to use its territory to launch last year's invasion of Ukraine. Oudea-Castera said she made a distinction for messages in support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's invasion, adding that she did not put Kosovo and Ukraine 'on the same level'.

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You shouldn't get involved, especially in the current circumstances, and it shouldn't happen again.' 'But in this case it was a message that is very activist, that is very political. 'When you carry messages about defending human rights, messages that bring people together around universal values, a sportsperson is free to express them,' Oudea-Castera told broadcaster France 2. World governing body the International Tennis Federation said Djokovic's statement did not violate any rules because the Grand Slam rulebook does not ban political statements. Serbia has never recognised Kosovo's independence and there has been violence in the past days following the installation of ethnic Albanian mayors in the north of the country, with police and Nato troops clashing with Serb protesters. It is in reference to recent tension in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serb Djokovic wrote 'Kosovo is the heart of Serbia.

Messages open