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Following his most recent Wimbledon victory, Novak Djokovic returned home to a hero's welcome from thousands of his devoted supporters.
On Sunday, Novak Djokovic defeated Australian Nick Kyrgios to win his seventh Wimbledon crown. The top seed dropped the opening set but came back to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) to earn a 21st Grand Slam title, closing the gap on Rafael Nadal to just one.
The Serb also moved to within one of Roger Federer's men's record of eight titles held at the All England Club and equalled Pete Sampras' tally of seven titles overall.
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He waved to tens of thousands of cheering fans from the balcony of Belgrade's City Hall after returning to his native Serbia to celebrate his most recent Slam victory.
To celebrate Djokovic's return to his country, a concert and fireworks show were planned. Fans were not let down as they got a peek at the 21-time Grand Slam winner.
On that note, the Serbian tennis community took to Twitter to praise their compatriot. They praised Djokovic for his accomplishments and referred to him as a "great athlete" and a "hero."
"Envious of Serbia. I wish we had heroes like that. I wish we had politicians like that. Strength of character, ethical, with high moral standards," one fan wrote.
"His stance on being forced into a vaccination he doesn’t need & his willingness to put his principles before fame or fortune, puts him up there with Ali," another user wrote.
"Such a heart warming welcome. I am sure the whole world loves Djoker the same way!! His fitness, dedication and gentle behaviour is an inspiration for all," another account posted.
"I'm not a huge fan, but Djokovic has definitely won my respect by standing by his principles, (faulted or Not). Congratulations Champ," one fan wrote.
Novak Djokovic might be able to play at the Australian Open next year
Novak Djokovic arrived in Australia earlier this year to defend his title, and Tennis Australia granted him an exemption despite the Serb being unvaccinated. However, the Australian government forbade him from entering the country and detained him. Djokovic was subsequently deported and issued a ban that prevented him from entering Australia for the next three years.
However, the Australian government recently dropped the restriction that had prevented unvaccinated foreigners from entering the nation. As a result, Craig Tiley, the director of the Australian Open, is optimistic that Djokovic's ban may soon be overturned.
According to Tiley, who recently spoke with Sport Klub, Novak Djokovic is always welcome to play in Australia and many people there enjoy watching him swing his racket.
"I think we are doing our best," Tiley said. "Clearly, it's not my decision whether he will be able to play at the Australian Open, but Novak is always welcome, he knows that many people in Australia like to watch him play.
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