Australian Open 2023: Video emerges of Novak Djokovic’s father Srdjan with pro-Russians

Tennis Australia has failed to address the furore around Novak Djokovic’s father posing with pro-Putin Russian nationalists at the Australian Open. Read the statement here.

Novak Djokovic’s father Srdjan has been filmed taking photos with the group of men who were kicked out of the Australian Open for flying a Russian flag featuring Vladimir Putin’s face on it.

Djokovic had just secured his spot in the tournament semi-final with a straight sets victory over Andrey Rublev as he chases a 10th title in Melbourne.

A video posted to YouTube late on Wednesday night, Srdjan is seen posing with the man holding the Putin flag and wearing a t-shirt with the Z symbol, an emblem of support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Novak Djokovic's father has been filmed taking photos with the group of men who were kicked out of the Australian Open

According to reports, audio from the video suggests that as he walks away, Djokovic Sr says “zivjeli Russiyani”, an apparent show of support for the Russian fight.

“Zivjeli” is a Serbocroat word meaning “cheers” while “Russiyani” refers to Russian people.

The YouTube channel translates the words as “long live Russia”.

Retired Ukraine tennis star Alexandr Dolgopolov labbelled the controversial pro-Putin video “Absolutely disgusting”, while taking aim at Srdjan Djokovic.

“Politics should be kept out of sports they said,” Dolgopolov tweeted. “These people have absolutely no business in being on tennis tournaments, including @DjokerNole father, if they openly praise a genocidal regime.”

Dolgopolov, a former world No.13, was, in December last year, fighting on the front lines in Kherson, a Ukranian city north-west of Crimea.

Absolutely disgusting 🤮
Politics should be kept out of sports they said. These people have absolutely no business in being on tennis tournaments, including @DjokerNole father, if they openly praise a genocidal regime👎🏻Z🇷🇺❌@atptour@AustralianOpenhttps://t.co/qq44uO7qFO

— Alex Dolgopolov (@TheDolgo) January 26, 2023

Tennis Australia released a short statement on Thursday afternoon: “Players and their teams have been briefed and reminded of the event policy regarding flags and symbols and to avoid any situation that has the potential to disrupt. We continue to work closely with event security and law enforcement agencies.”

Police on Wednesday night evicted the group of men who appeared to flout Tennis Australia’s ban on Russian flags by sneaking it past security under the guise of similarly-coloured Serbian flags that surrounded them.

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 https://t.co/3CcsLKG9I3

— Marta Kostyuk (@marta_kostyuk) January 26, 2023

Novak Djokovic during his Australian Open quarter-final win. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Just took a walk around Melbourne Park after filing and a group of people were standing on the Rod Laver Arena steps, holding up a flag with Vladimir Putin’s face and chanting in support of Russia. pic.twitter.com/2p0LfkyVC3

— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) January 25, 2023

Security guards at Melbourne Park have been issued with tougher guidelines regarding prohibited items in the wake of Wednesday night’s pro-Russian demonstration.

News Corp Australia witnessed security guards at the main gates being issued with new laminated placards that outline the new rules.

Security was last week issued with an A4 sheet that included images of four flags – including those of Russia and Belarus – and t-shirts depicting “Z” imagery, which is used as an emblem to show support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The updated list of prohibited items distributed to event security now includes more than 10 flags, including variations of the Russian imperial flag and other historical flags of Russian origin.

The wording around communication to fans – which includes terminology to be used when speaking with fans – has been altered in the wake of the incident.

Melbourne: Serbian man was asked to cover Z letter, symbol of Russian occupation and murder in Ukraine.
He was not expelled from the area.
Later, he waves with Putin on the Russian flag, in front of Rod Laver Arena. pic.twitter.com/CEUY9HrPo3

— SEICO-OSINT (@SeicoIntel) January 26, 2023

In the lead up to Djokovic’s quarter-final on Wednesday night, Simeon Boikov, who runs the YouTube channel on which the footage was posted, had issued a call for all Russian supporters to “strike back” at Tennis Australia for their ban on Russian emblems.

“Today Djokovic plays Andrey Rublev. I hereby appeal or instruct everyone to get down there. I can confirm that we’ve got some surprises,” Boikov said.

“Tennis Australia brace yourselves… for fans, for people who love tennis, if you know what I mean. I’ve got to word it that way or they’ll get me for incitement. We’ve got a lot of serious fans in Melbourne heading down.”

He added: “This is about honour and dignity now. This is an attack on honour and dignity. This has got nothing to do with the war. This is an attack on freedom in Australia. This is discrimination. This is racism. It’s illegal to ban people’s flags.

“The Russian empire has had its flag banned. Well guess what Tennis Australia? Good luck when the empire strikes back.”

Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia labelled the display of the Russian flags and blatant breach of rules “a disgrace”.

“It’s a full package,” Vasyl Myroshnychenko said on Thursday.

“Among the Serbian flags, there is a Russian flag, Putin, Z-symbol, so-called Donetsk People’s Republic flag.

“It’s such a disgrace.”

Vision has also emerged of a fan inside Rod Laver Arena wearing a t-shirt with the Z symbol during the Djokovic-Rublev clash.

Former Ukrainian pro Alex Dolgopolov, who is currently fighting in the war, tweeted: “This guy will get banned for life, at least for all Australian events, right? @AustralianOpen”.

Originally published as Australian Open 2023: Video emerges of Novak Djokovic’s father Srdjan with pro-Russians