Novak Djokovic has risked Kosovan rage with a message at the French Open.
The tennis great wrote on a TV camera 'Kosovo is the heart of Serbia! Stop violence.' in response to news in the Balkans. It is currently in a state of high tension with the Serbian army being put on after police and Kosovo's Serb minority have clashed. 10 people have been injured.
Kosovo declared independence in 2008 but it is still claimed by Serbia, although it is recognised by the International Tennis Federation. Clashes were flared up following a police move to install new ethnic Albanian mayors after April elections got boycotted by Kosovo’s Serbs. Djokovic has posted the highly-charged political slogan to his 12m Instagram followers on Instagram. The world number three said: “As a Serb, it hurts me what is happening in Kosovo, our people have been expelled from the municipalities. I feel the responsibility as a public figure to show support, and I especially feel it as the son of a man who was born in Kosovo, This is the least I could do.
“I feel an obligation to show support for our people and all of Serbia. I think many do not know what the future holds for Kosovo, but it is important to show harmony in situations like this.
"I hear there was a lot of criticism on social media. I don't know if someone will punish me or something like that, But I would do it again.
"I am against wars and conflicts of any kind. Kosovo is our hearth, stronghold, the centre of the most important events, the biggest battle took place there, the most monasteries. There are many reasons why I wrote this.”
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