Novak Djokovic responds to the haters with a phrase from Kobe Bryant

• Tennis

"Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence!" With this message, Novak Djokovic became a vehicle of peace towards the north of Kosovo, where inter-ethnic tensions have recently grown again and clashes have broken out between the troops of the KFOR (an international military force led by NATO responsible for restoring order and peace in Kosovo - ed.) and Serb demonstrators opposed to the new mayors of Albanian ethnicity, elected in the four major municipalities in the north with a Serb majority.

A message that has drawn strong criticism on Djokovic from those who accuse him of exploiting his popularity to convey political slogans. For his part, the Serbian star used an interview with Sasa Ozmo of Tennis Majors to further clarify his position, also quoting his friend, the late Kobe Bryant: "I'm not surprised by the attacks I received, it would be strange the opposite.

As Kobe said, Haters are a big problem to have. No one hates the good, but the greatest."

Novak Djokovic: "I'm authentic"

Novak Djokovic's writing on the camera at the end of the victory against Aleksander Kovacevic in his first round at Roland Garros 2023 has inflamed the controversy on social media and beyond.

Even within the tournament itself, criticisms arose against the Serbian champion, who therefore wanted to clarify his gesture: "I'm not a politician and I don't intend to enter into a political debate. It is a very delicate matter.

As a Serb, everything that is happening in Kosovo hurts me a lot. This is the least I can do. I feel a responsibility, as a public figure, regardless of field, to show my support, especially as the son of a man born in Kosovo.

I don't know what will happen in the future for Serbs and Kosovars, but it is necessary to show support and unity in this kind of situation." These are the words in the first instance of Djokovic, who in an interview with Sasa Ozmo of Tennis Majors went further in depth: "I don't hate anyone, I don't have any kind of emotion of this type and I raise my children according to this way of doing.

Hate is a horrendous emotion. I wouldn't change a thing in my life because I did everything to the best of my ability at the time. Yes, I made a lot of mistakes, but at least I was authentic, I was myself. I have chosen to be like this, not to respect the standard of the establishment."