{"id":1795132,"date":"2026-02-26T18:15:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T15:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1795132"},"modified":"2026-02-26T18:15:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T15:15:09","slug":"novak-djokovic-gets-blunt-message-from-serbias-controversial-president-after-smear-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1795132","title":{"rendered":"Novak Djokovic gets blunt message from Serbia&#8217;s controversial president after smear campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Novak Djokovic gets blunt message from Serbia\u2019s controversial president after smear campaign<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/ewan-west\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Ewan West                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"26 Feb 2026 6:15 PM\" data-ps-date=\"26 Feb 2026 6:15 PM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1772129709\"><br \/>\n                            26 Feb 2026 6:15 PM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/novak-djokovic-blunt-message-serbian-president-smear-campaign\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to facebook\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fnovak-djokovic-blunt-message-serbian-president-smear-campaign\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to twitter\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fnovak-djokovic-blunt-message-serbian-president-smear-campaign\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to linkedin\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/\/send\/?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fnovak-djokovic-blunt-message-serbian-president-smear-campaign\" aria-label=\"Share to whatsapp\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?v=2&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fnovak-djokovic-blunt-message-serbian-president-smear-campaign\" aria-label=\"Share to flipboard\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a class=\"!text-share-icon hover:!text-share-icon-active flex items-center justify-center\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" aria-label=\"Follow Tennis365 on Google Search\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Novak Djokovic gets blunt message from Serbia\u2019s controversial president after smear campaign\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"600\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/15225033\/2RTYFEE.jpg\" alt=\"Novak Djokovic playing for Serbia in the Davis Cup\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                Novak Djokovic playing for Serbia in the Davis Cup                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\">\n<p>Novak Djokovic has been sent a message by Serbia\u2019s controversial president after the tennis icon was the target of a smear campaign from his country\u2019s government due to his political stance.<\/p>\n<p>Belgrade-born Djokovic relocated to Greece\u2019s capital, Athens, in September last year with his wife, Jelena, and their two children, Stefan and Tara.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/novak-djokovic\">Djokovic<\/a> has not explicitly stated the reason for his move, but it is believed to be related to him being at odds with the Serbian government.<\/p>\n<p>In December 2024, Djokovic \u2013 who is Serbia\u2019s biggest national icon \u2013 expressed support for the student-led protests against Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic and the government as a whole.<\/p>\n<p>The previous month, mass protests took place in Novi Sad, the second largest city in Serbia, after the collapse of a railway station canopy killed 16 people, with demonstrators accusing Serbian police and local authorities of negligence and corruption. Protests had spread to 400 cities and towns by March 2025.<\/p>\n<p>According to Jaschar Dugalic, a journalist reporting for German news outlet Neue Zurcher Zeitung, the Serbian government <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-features\/novak-djokovic-smear-campaign-attacked-serbian-media-government\">\u201cset its sights\u201d on Djokovic as a result of his stance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Dugalic reported, that \u201cregime-friendly media\u201d in Serbia has attacked the character of Djokovic, with tabloid newspaper Informer branding the tennis legend a \u201cdisgrace\u201d in response to his public support for protests.<\/p>\n<h2>Novak Djokovic News<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/novak-djokovic-ego-touched-hurt-jannik-sinner-win-patrick-mouratoglou\"><strong>Novak Djokovic used being \u2018hurt deeply\u2019 to fuel Jannik Sinner win \u2013 Patrick Mouratoglou<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/novak-djokovic-feels-greek-dinner-stefanos-tsitsipas\"><strong>Novak Djokovic \u2018feels Greek\u2019 as Stefanos Tsitsipas shares insight from dinner with tennis icon<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Want more from Tennis365? Add us as <a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\">a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for tennis coverage you can trust.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>After it was reported that Djokovic was considering moving to Athens with his family, the same outlet labelled him \u201ca false patriot who had presented himself as a symbol of Serbia for years only to now flee to Greece.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dugalic added that: \u201can entrepreneur and opponent of the protests published a video linking Djokovic\u2019s father to an alleged paedophile.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>What did Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic say about Novak Djokovic?<\/h2>\n<p>At the age of 38, Djokovic became the oldest player to reach an Australian Open final with his run at the 2026 edition of the Melbourne major last month.<\/p>\n<p>The 24-time Grand Slam champion downed Jannik Sinner in an epic five-set semi-final before falling in four sets to world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the title match.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking on TV Pink, as quoted by Sport Klub, Vucic congratulated Djokovic on his Australian Open heroics.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wholeheartedly support Djokovic and all the people who wear the Serbian tricolour, and [I am] looking forward to his success,\u201d Vucic said (translated from Serbian).<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[He showed] something incredible in those years [in his win against Jannik Sinner]. [He is] the greatest of this time in a difficult and demanding sport.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is much more than a congratulatory message, he represents his country with dignity and makes it popular. Regardless of the result of the final, I support him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The president also revealed that he had spoken with Djokovic and bluntly declared that he \u201cwill not change\u201d his beliefs under the influence of any star.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI told him what I thought, now I would say it in a harsher way, not towards him, but towards the situation we were in,\u201d Vucic asserted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI will not change my beliefs under the influence of any sports, acting or entertainment star.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ NEXT: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/jack-draper-novak-djokovic-inspiration-goat-verdict\">Jack Draper hails \u2018proper inspiration\u2019 Novak Djokovic as he issues GOAT verdict<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Novak Djokovic gets blunt message from Serbia\u2019s controversial president after smear campaign Ewan West 26 Feb 2026 6:15 PM Novak Djokovic playing for Serbia in the Davis Cup Novak Djokovic has been sent a message by Serbia\u2019s controversial president after the tennis icon was the target of a smear campaign from his country\u2019s government due [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-1795132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1795132","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1795132"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1795132\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1795132"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1795132"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1795132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}