Djokovic’s father will not attend his son’s semifinal in Australia

Novak Djokovic’s father announced this Friday in a statement that will not attend his son’s semifinal at the Australian Open after the controversy caused by his images with fans wearing pro-Russian symbols.

“I am here only to support my son. I did not intend to cause such headlines or so much disturbance (…) In order not to disturb my son or the other player in tonight’s semifinal, I have decided to watch it from home,” he said. Srdjan Djokovic in a statement.

the veto

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko asked this Friday for the veto in what remains of the Australian Open tennis of Novak Djokovic’s father after the release on Thursday of a video in which he appeared with fans with Russian flags.

Speaking to Australian public television ABC, Myroshnychenko said the flags were a symbol of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and called for Srdjan Djokovic, the player’s father, to be banned from the rest of the tournament, which ends on Sunday with the men’s final, in the one that could be Djokovic.

(Keep reading: Russian tennis player for the match and makes an unusual request to the fans, video).

This supposed support from Srdjan Djokovic led Myroshnychenko to demand that his son take positions.

“Do you support Putin? Do you support the war in Ukraine? What do you think of your father’s support?” he asked.

The tennis player, who has not ruled in this regard, eliminated Russian Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals on Wednesday and plays this Friday in the semifinals against American Tommy Paul.

The organizers of the Open have prohibited the display of Russian and Belarusian flags and symbols due to incidents that occurred during the match between the Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl and the Russian Kamilla Rakhimova on the first day.