“This must not go unnoticed”
Ukrainian tennis player on the video scandal surrounding Papa Djokovic
Srdjan Djokovic caused a stir with a video at the Australian Open. The Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk also noticed. And criticize the whole thing.
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Marta Kostyuk comments on the Papa Djokovic video.
A year ago, Novak Djokovic (35) made headlines with his entry theater around the Australian Open. This year it is his father Srdjan (62) who fills the newspapers with his actions.
After Novak’s quarter-final win over Andrei Rublev, he posed with a man holding a Russia flag with a portrait of Putin. A large “War Z” was also emblazoned on his T-shirt. However, that didn’t stop Papa Djokovic from smiling for the camera with the unsub. The scandal was perfect.
Kostyuk is concerned
After all, Srdjan Djokovic showed insight and stayed away from his son’s semifinals. “I had no intention of causing such headlines or shock,” he said in a statement. “My family has experienced the horrors of war and we want nothing more than peace.”
However, that is not the end of the matter. Marta Kostyuk (20, WTA 61) is still busy with the whole thing. As the last Ukrainian in the tournament, she failed alongside Elena Ruse in the doubles semi-final. After the game, Kostyuk said at the press conference about Papa Djokovic’s video: “It must not go unseen. It doesn’t matter who you are, nobody is allowed to do that.”
Russian flags hurt
She emphasizes that it “hurts her a lot” to keep seeing Russian flags. These are omnipresent in Melbourne, although there are certain rules “that are printed out outside and say that bringing flags and such is not allowed”.
Even if Kostyuk would probably have more to say on the whole topic, she holds back and does not go into further detail. “No matter what I say, I will be hated until the end of my life, especially by very aggressive Novak fans,” she explains.
And afterwards that this does not apply to all Djokovic fans, of course. But: «Novak has very aggressive fans, I know that and have experienced it in the past. I got so much hate, especially from Serbian fans.” One can only hope that she does not have to experience this again after these statements. (bir)
Despite the flag ban: Fans wave Putin flag at Australian Open(00:12)
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