‘Disappointment and a bit of anger’: How the Djokovic saga is being received in Serbia
Australia’s treatment of the worlds best mens tennis player is making headlines around the world.
Novak Djokovic remains in immigrant detention in a Melbourne hotel after having his visa cancelled on arrival by border authorities.
Serbian-based journalist Saso Ozmo has told 6PR Breakfast the news is not being received well in the tennis stars’ home country.
“It’s a mixture of disappointment and a bit of anger,” he said.
“Most of Novak’s fans, not only in Serbia but all over the world, have been aware of the risk that he (might) not play in the Australian Open.
“Then when his medical exemption got granted it sort of lifted people’s hopes.
“Then everything went south again pretty quickly upon his arrival in Melbourne.
“So people are pretty disappointed and they feel he has been treated unfairly, in terms of being misled, having thought that the exemption has been granted only to find out there has not been real alignment between all the levels of power in Australia.”
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić offered emphatic support for the world No.1 in a statement on Wednesday.
“I told our Novak that the whole of Serbia is with him and that our bodies are doing everything to see that the harassment of the world’s best tennis player is brought to an end immediately.”
Press PLAY to hear more from Serbian-based journalist Saso Ozmo
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