Why has Novak Djokovic's political message at the French Open sparked controversy? A look into the geopolitical tensions between Serbia and Kosovo

Novak Djokovic has flared up controversy at the 2023 French Open following his contentious political message on the backdrop of geopolitical tensions between Kosovo and Serbia.

Djokovic commenced his campaign at Roland Garros when he squared off against Aleksandar Kovasevic in the first round on Monday (May 29). The Serbian prevailed 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1) to advance to the next round.

Following his win, Djokovic was quick to grab a marker for the traditional post-match camera lens sign-off. He stunned the crowd as his message expressed empathy to the people of Kosovo, except he made it sound like Kosovo was a part of Serbia.

"Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence," he wrote.

This message led to widespread criticism from tennis fans on social media, who conveyed their annoyance against the former World No. 1.

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Why tensions are flaring between Kosovo and Serbia

Kosovo, formerly a province of Serbia, is a southeast European nation which mainly comprises of ethnic Albanian population. Despite the nation declaring its independence in 2008, Serbia refuses to recognize Kosovo's statehood and still considers it as a part of Serbia.

In Northern Kosovo, Serbs, who represent the majority, boycotted the recent local elections. Newly elected ethnic Albanian mayors were even obstructed by Serbian protesters on their way to the office.

Following a tense stand-off, fierce clashes erupted between the Serb protesters and the Kosovo police in front of the muncipality buildings. According to the latest reports, 25 NATO soldiers belonging to a peace-keeping force were injured on Monday during the clashes.

Both the presidents of Serbia and Kosovo have since released statements, accusing the other side of being instigators of the violence. The dispute over ethnicity and territorial controls between Kosovo and Serbia is centuries old but with the recent outrage, the conflicts seem to have beefed up even further.

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Novak Djokovic feels political message is the least he could do to subdue Serbia-Kosovo conflict

Novak Djokovic at the 2023 French Open

During his post match press conference on Monday, Novak Djokovic stated that he felt the responsibility to lend support for Kosovo. The Serb added that the message was the least he could have done.

"This is the least I could have done. I feel the responsibility as a public figure – doesn’t matter in which field – to give support. Especially as a son of a man born in Kosovo, I feel the need to give my support to them and to Serbia," he said.

Djokovic also expressed empathy for the people of Kosovo, adding that he would continue his support irrespective of the repercussions he might face.

"I am not a politician and I don’t have the intention to get into political debate. That topic is very sensitive. As a Serb, everything that’s happening in Kosovo hurts me a lot," the former World No. 1 stated.

"I don’t know what’s going to happen – I heard that there have been many objections on social media – whether I will be punished … I am not holding back, I would do it again."

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Novak Djokovic courted controversy at the 2023 Australian Open as well

This is not the first instance of Novak Djokovic being involved in controversy at a Grand Slam tournament this season. At the Australian Open, the Serb's father posed for pictures with Russian fans holding pro-Vladimir Putin flags amidst the Ukrainian crisis.

Djokovic later stated that his father's actions were misinterpreted and that neither him nor his family would support war.