He is laughing. Novak Đoković, I guess ironically, while Hubert Hurkač already sees the trophy in his hands. It's the end of the second set in Geneva, the sun still hinders the best tennis players at the tournament. But don't lie down - two breaks, victory in two sets and one hundred, the third in history. And that's Djokovic - he stepped into his thirty-ninth year, and not even when the battle seems lost. And look at the miracles, Aleksandar Vučić is silent, he did not publicly congratulate Nolet. Namely, for the vast majority of Serbian citizens, Djokovic is an unquestionable hero, idol, GOAT, the brightest point of the country in the world. Maybe we don't agree on political and social issues, maybe even in sports we are divided into Delians and Gravediggers, but tennis is, nevertheless, a special category, in which we unanimously shout "Let's go Nole!".
Now, it seems, the best tennis player leaving the neutral zone and supporting the youth in the fight for the future of all of us, has called into question his greatness, although such a thing is not possible. Thus, the man who brought everyone together with his victories was dragged into the eternal division that reigns in our society.
photo: eco guard on xSHAME AND SHAME: The hate speech of the progressive regime
Namely, it has been proven once again that the head of state and his political-media-Cacija followers are asking about everything. For them, Nole is "Bruka" and "Novak doping Đokovć". Not a typo. That is - he did - but he wrote to his uncle, so it doesn't count.
As Jovanka Matić, a media researcher and research associate at the Institute of Social Sciences in Belgrade, reminds "Vreme", the government of the Serbian Progressive Party and Aleksandar Vučić, "first as prime minister and then as president, from the very beginning is based on the division of 'we' and 'them'. It differs from the traditional we-we dichotomy, because 'you' implies a kind of direct communication with the opposing party. Vučić introduced very early in his political marketing cancel method as a systemic backbone of social exclusion of any group and individual opponents, who are classified as 'them' and never identified. In contrast, there is a process of marketing construction of the 'we' identity among supporters of the government.”
Nole seems to have been removed from the government's strategic map, as well as from the letter of the little boy Pavlo. It was between "I love Serbia a lot" and "I train basketball, watch Euroleague and love Nikola Jokić". It looks like someone has an automatic eraser for a child's pencil in their head, so that part turned into those tiny pieces, a mixture of graphite and rubber, and the Joker, during that time, zoned out. But how did we see the entire letter afterwards, and the child wrote that he loves Novak?
FROM DAWN TO DUSK
Djokovic has been playing tennis professionally for twenty-two years. We can see 2008 as a turning point. year, when he won his first Grand Slam and bronze Olympic medal in Beijing. From then until today, he is an idol to many children around the world, even if tennis is not their favorite sport or the sport they train.
But if Beijing was the dawn of Novak's career, is the Olympic gold medal a new turning point that heralds the twilight of his tennis?
The gold at the Olympics in Paris, and then the title in Geneva, seems to have been the decisive ace in the balance that decides who is the best tennis player of all time. A dominant performance in Paris was seen as confirmation that his career is far from over. However, from the Olympics to Switzerland, Djokovic's game went downhill, much faster than anyone had hoped.
The search for the jubilee 100th title lasted longer than expected. Hand on heart, the tournament in Switzerland is not the real benchmark, but a win is a win. A little more than nine months passed between Paris and Geneva, and during that time, Djokovic had a record of 19 wins and even nine losses, playing only two finals.
And while Novak was struggling on the field, Serbia took to the streets. The struggle of students and citizens in our country has been going on for more than six months, during which Novak, by providing support to young people, became "Đokovć" in the eyes of the regime. How did this man, who overcame environmental protests, covid and deportation, during which the president of Serbia defended and supported him, managed to "get dressed" by supporting students?
Uprising after the fall
The largest protests in Serbia began after the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, and the blockade of the faculty on November 25 - the first was the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. On December 18, Djokovic spoke via the X network with a lukewarm message, which looked more like the work of a careful PR.
"As someone who deeply believes in the strength of young people and their desire for a better future, I think it is important that their voice be heard. Serbia has enormous potential, and educated youth is its greatest strength. What we all need is understanding and respect. With you, Novak," wrote the best tennis player in history.
The regime's media ignored this news, and the Radio Television of Serbia - let's not put it in the same basket as the first ones - reported the greater part of the announcement in Dnevnik, but without the most important one - "Uz vas, Novak".
The consequences of Novak's public actions were seen even after winning the hundredth title in Geneva. Unlike some previous successes of our tennis player, this time Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić did not advertise. "Informer" continued with the absence of euphoria when it comes to Novak, which has been going on for some time. They covered the event only in the form of a short news item on the website, while the next day's newspaper had no place for Novak's jubilee on the front page, but there was room for Jokić, who, as they say, although it has not been confirmed yet, will play in the Eurobasket.
The absence of their usual reactions will certainly not affect Novak's motivation, at least not on the field. However, the question arises - what will affect it?
ARE YOU LACK OF MOTIVATION??
Lately, there has been a lot of debate about what is actually the cause of Novak Djokovic's bad game. Finding motivation stands out among the main factors: after breaking almost every record over the years, the real question is - what next? For the past few years, he has been forced to break the boundaries he set himself, and it is not easy to find the will to do so.
As Vladimir Koprivica, a long-time fitness coach of, among others, basketball clubs Red Star and Partizan, told Vreme, the motivation in Novak Djokovic's situation is no longer external, but internal.
"Coaches are almost powerless here. Inspiration comes from within. Novak Djokovic's motivation must be internal, it must come from the depths of his being. Maybe it's love for tennis, maybe it's fear of leaving what is your life's mission, something must be there," Koprivica points out.
With these words, he refutes potential justifications that Novak is still active due to sponsorships and marketing, but supports the idea that, like every ordinary person, he is afraid of retirement and the feeling of uselessness.
The reason for somewhat weaker performances in smaller tournaments is also clear. Djokovic himself has mentioned several times that they currently serve him only as a preparation for the Grand Slams, so such a game cannot be so surprising.
It should also be noted that, according to Novak himself, the withdrawal of his biggest rivals – Federer and Nadal – had a significant impact on motivation.
"Perhaps the reason for the lack of motivation is their withdrawal, but if I wasn't motivated, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't play anymore and I would leave the racket to rest. I still feel the desire to play, the passion for the competition is present," said Djokovic before the recent Masters in Madrid. If anyone knows how and why there is still a hunger for victory after tremendous success, then it is Andrija Prlainović, the famous Serbian water polo player, multiple Olympic, world and European champion, who points out for "Vreme" that motivation is an individual thing, and that every athlete is looking for what motivates him personally.
"Of course, the level of motivation is different after numerous successes, but you can always go further and more. I, for example, told myself that as long as I do sports, I want and must be at the top level. So motivation is an individual thing. Everyone, including Novak, must find something that pulls and pushes him further," concludes Prlainović.
photo: ap photo...
THE HEART WANTS, BUT CAN THE BODY?
Djokovic turned 38 years old. However, his body looks good for most of his time on the court. With a specific diet, he tries to maintain the best possible shape, and therefore the possibility to fight with new, young tennis players. He is currently succeeding in that. Honestly, it should be said that injuries are more frequent now, but it is certain that the body is one of the last things that Novak needs to worry about, at least for now.
"The biggest problem that age brings depends on the nature of the sport. In tennis, it is certainly the speed of movement and endurance. When it comes to endurance, a clear sign that the body regenerates more slowly is the recovery time during the match. The inability to properly manage movement due to fatigue of the nervous system affects perception, attention, concentration, and thinking," Vladimir Koprivica points out.
Novak's biggest rival, Rafael Nadal, just decided to leave the racket and retire at the age of 38. On the other hand, his slightly older colleague Roger Federer played until he was 41 years old. However, it should be noted that in the last couple of years, Roger was an easy opponent for the vast majority of tennis players. However, Djokovic, judging by what we see on the court, at least when it comes to the body, has nothing to worry about. It serves him well, even though he has been on tour for more than 20 years.
"Injuries probably come with age, but my body still listens to me, I still have a burning flame and a desire to achieve new achievements, that's why I hope for success," said Djokovic before the tournament in Doha, in February this year. The Serbian tennis player is currently the third oldest Grand Slam winner ever, ahead of only Roger Federer and Tom Rosewall. By possibly winning any of the upcoming tournaments, Novak would be in first place by that parameter as well.
"Discipline, that of sports, must be at the highest level, because the danger of injuries, especially the most serious ones, is increasing. It is not only about training, but also competitions, which must be carefully chosen and for which the athlete must be perfectly prepared. It is typical for older athletes to reduce the number of performances and to prepare for important competitions for longer, and that is exactly what we see with Novak Djokovic", concluded Vladimir Koprivica.
SUPPORT CONTINUES
Unfortunately, the danger of injuries does not only lurk on the sports field. Today, not only can something fall on a person's head at any moment, but they can also be injured while fighting for justice because of that problem. Or rather, I can hurt him.
As the protests and silence continued in Serbia, the discontent of the progressive regime led to people being trampled on the streets. Student Sonja Ponjavić was seriously injured when a car ran into her during the blockade of the intersection. On January 17, after winning the third round of the Australian Open, Novak sent support to the injured girl, writing on the camera "For Sonja" with a drawn heart.
It was still not a concrete support for the taste of a part of the rebellious society until January 24, when he shared on Instagram a photo of students from the amphitheater with the banner "Professor Nola, the students love you".
On the last day of January, Novak appeared at the basketball derby wearing a sweatshirt with the inscription "Students are champions.When asked what the inscription means in translation, he said to Sport Club: "They know, they know, very well!" The greatest then clearly said that it is the students who are the champions.
That famous sweatshirt, as if they wanted to abuse "Students 2.0" from Pionirski Park. In one public address, they appeared with an identical item of clothing. One might think that they tried to diminish the value of Novak's message, and perhaps even to appropriate support and confuse the public. But the public, as Djokovic would say, "knows very well" who his affections are.
After January, several symbolic messages followed, which were again understood as support for the ongoing struggle in Serbia. Then came the ace for the win, or an out and a loss, depending on how one looks at it.
He published Nole and a video and photo of the streets of Belgrade from the great protest on March 15, with the caption "Serbia" and "History! Magnificent." Was that really the last straw? "Informer" just then published an article under the title "DJOKOVIĆ, BRUKO! Novak supports violence and the colored revolution!".
NOVECTOR LIKE ANYONE ELSE
Jovanka Matić explains that in the case of Đoković, as in everything, "the pro-regime media are the megaphone and gramophone of the government. In their content, you can only see the reinforced and repeated messages of the ruling political party, and most often the individual holder of the greatest political power in the country."
FoNet journalist Tamara Skrozza points out for "Vreme" that Novak found himself in the same situation as anyone who dares to speak out against the regime of Aleksandar Vučić.
"Whether a person is a journalist, scientist, actor, politician or something else, if he says anything against Vučić and his government, he experiences lynching, persecution, disqualification, targeting in pro-state media, tabloids and televisions with a national frequency, sometimes including RTS. This case is not specific in itself, but only because it is about someone who shortly before that lynching was called, roughly, 'a man who walks on water'. He had the status of a deity in Serbia, to some extent well deserved", reminds the interlocutor.
He also believes that Novak, going through the targeting and qualifications that others went through, proved that no one is untouchable.
She again emphasizes the non-specificity of Novak's case, stressing that no one should experience such a media lynching.
"No one deserved such behavior from our media, not even Novak Djokovic, our most important athlete in history, a man who spread the name of Serbia around the world and lit up our face in a million and one times. No one who went through that warm rabbit deserved it. In the public space, regardless of whether you are Novak Djokovic or an unknown person, you can say something more or less thoughtful, more or less clever, but you did not deserve to be put on a pillar of shame and crucified by the media for that to destroy your life. Djokovic is protected to some extent, because he has his lawyers and a reputation that is inviolable and that no tabloid can damage."
As Scrozza says, the bottom line is that he is a man who is extremely deserving, and he went by as someone who is completely anonymous and did not contribute anything to the reputation of Serbia. He also believes that the tabloids and regime media "didn't prove to be overly inventive" in their accusations against him.
Jovanka Matić emphasizes that the government is guided by the fact that tennis "has always been a sport of the rich and decadent Western elite, and the people need higher salaries and pensions. State propaganda will continue to claim that other nations, especially our neighbors, hate us because we are the fastest growing economically, and will leave out the idea that was often used until yesterday that we have the best tennis player of all time."
CARLITOS, SINER AND THE OTHER TEAM
He may be the GOAT, but does Novak Djokovic still have the strength to match the current tennis players? While he supports one youth, the one in his country, the other, from Spain and Italy, is breathing down his neck.
Another factor that certainly affects his game is the new generation of tennis players. Carlos Alcaraz and Janik Siner stand out as the absolute leaders of the current tennis ranking. This duo won six of the previous seven Grand Slam tournaments, so it is clear that Novak has real challengers and artists of this sport in front of him. He had Djokovic on the other side of the net, albeit in his younger days, and two of the greatest - Federer and Nadal, and he knows how to deal with other tennis grandmasters.
Now that the years have arrived and so have the new young hopefuls, it is much more difficult to cope with the effort of playing against such players. Novak, for now, is doing more than well. Djokovic is 4-4 against the young Italian. On the other hand, against Carlitos, Novak has a positive score of 5-3, and he won in the last two matches. Although these tennis players can cause him problems and inflict heavy defeats, like those two in the Wimbledon final, the greatest still, with good tennis and great fitness, finds solutions and keeps his head above water, and even more.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR 25. SLAM
Novak still has something to fight for, even if it means breaking his own records. The idea is that the hundredth title won't be relevant for long, and that already in June, one more will be added to that number. The orange Parisian surface of the Philippe Chatriere tennis stadium could witness Novak's 25th Grand Slam. Djokovic has been chasing that number since 2023. The Olympic gold in Paris raised hopes that the strongest is back, but the year 2024 ended without any of the four biggest tennis trophies.
The US Open, just a few days after the Olympics, was the first low blow that Djokovic suffered. Alexey Popirin knocked him out very easily already in the third round. Then followed Novak Djokovic's favorite tournament, the place of greatest success - Melbourne. With experience, but also with a good game, Novak still managed to win a new Grand Slam semi-final, his 50th.
However, due to a muscle injury, he was forced to surrender the semi-final match to Alexander Zverev.
"I did everything I could to heal the muscle injury, but towards the end of that first set I started to feel more and more pain. It was too much for me at the moment," Djokovic said at the post-match press conference.
By the end of the year, the Serbian tennis player has, in addition to Roland Garros, two more attempts to reach his 25th title. It's Wimbledon and the US Open.
On the other hand, Novak has been struggling with Masters series tournaments for a long time. The only one worth mentioning, besides Geneva, was Miami, where Djokovic again resembled his old self. Everything was ready for a big celebration and jubilee title, however, young Czech Jakub Menšík won his first Masters 1000 title by defeating Novak.
HISTORY IS HERE TO RETURN TO
When we talk about the four biggest tennis tournaments, Novak is most often associated with the Australian Open Championship. Until the ninth title in Melbourne in 2021, we had a smile on our face while talking about our tennis player's games there. However, the stricter covid rules changed everything. The tennis player with the most trophies in the land of kangaroos became an enemy, a detainee, an immigrant. Unfortunately, this controversy left a lasting mark on the career of this top athlete.
At that time, he received messages of support from Serbia, and among those who defended him was the government. That same government still leads Serbia today, but Novak, by supporting the students, seems to have crossed their threshold of tolerance.
Therefore, Djokovic has had "outbursts" before. Before the problems in Australia, in mid-2020, he organized the Adria Tour in Belgrade and Zadar, a humanitarian tennis tournament, which led to the rapid spread of the covid virus. The tennis player later apologized, pointing out that it was still too early for such a thing. Vanja Udovicic, as the Minister of Sports at that time, supported the organization of the event, while the authorities actively appealed for caution, but there were no complaints directed at Djokovic. In May 2021, Novak also met with the then Minister of the Interior, Aleksandar Vulin, on the occasion of promoting sports among MUP members. Many people blamed him for that.
Controversies did not end there. At the end of 2021, Novak posted a picture on the Instagram platform from a rally against Rio Tinto and the mine and wrote that clean water, air and food are key to health. The government and the media close to it did not advertise about him, but they openly criticized the protests against lithium mining.
Since Nole was determined not to get vaccinated, during his imprisonment and deportation from Australia, Vucic defended the then nine-time champion of the Australian Open, for which the Djokovic family, led by Novak, was grateful to him. There were also rumors about the potential political involvement of his father Srdjan, but the rumors have ended. He himself has shown on a couple of occasions that he has no political ambitions and that he does not advise his son to do such things either.
For "Vreme", Skrozza referred to this earlier attitude of the authorities towards Novak, which is different from the situation today.
"When it comes to the government's attitude towards him, there is a distance now, but it didn't exist before. Novak Djokovic is a man who met with the top of the state, and even with Aleksandar Vulin, which I have to admit surprised me. He is on the list of hated characters only after he provided political support to the opponents of this regime. The attitude of the authorities towards him has only changed in that sense," Skrozza concluded.
Matić also touched on this topic, clarifying the previously good relations between the authorities and the tennis player, who now has 100 titles on his account.
"Djokovic made a noticeable personal effort not to allow his 'celebrity' status to be abused for the specific purposes of the government. It would be said that he agreed to a minimum of protocol activities, which it would be impolite to refuse, even though the media also inflated them to the maximum with megaphones and gramophones. But even the first, mild support for an injured student in the midst of a mass student rebellion against the government, was enough for the top of the government and its servants to open a reservoir of exclusionary tactics," he points out. Matić.
IN VICTORY AND IN DEFEAT
If those who currently rule our country have erased Novak from their letter and from their map, that does not mean that they have erased him from history and from the hearts of the people. He will not cross out his people either, because if he were such a man, he would not be where he is. Success largely came from a clean heart, not only from a healthy and strong body. That is why he is the greatest, and that is why anyone who dares to involve him, driven by evil intentions, in something that can tarnish his face, should be ashamed before him.
Novak Djokovic's fight on two fronts will continue for a long time, there is no doubt about that, but which battle is more important? There have been victories on the field and there will be more, we can say that with certainty.
There were also victories off the field, but this double, which Novak is currently playing, together with young people, is extremely important, perhaps not so much for him as for the whole society. On the other side of the net is an opponent who is ready for anything, ready to go beyond the limits of sport and fair play. Therefore, it is time for us to stand by Novak even when he is not doing well on and off the field, and not to own him and be proud of him only when he brings us victories and trophies.
