Novak Djokovic shares message for violence-hit Kosovo after first-round win in French Open

On Monday (May 29), former world number one Novak Djokovic eased past debutant Aleksandar Kovacevic in the first round of the French Open 2023 edition. Squaring off with the newcomer, Djokovic risked controversy by sharing a message about Kosovo and urging to stop the violence.The 22-time Grand Slam champion shared a message for one and all as he wrote on a camera lens in Serbian, stating, "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence."

It is to be noted that the incident happened amid rising tensions in Kosovo. On Monday, clashes broke out between Serb protesters and NATO peacekeeping soldiers -- defending three town halls in northern Kosovo -- which led to as many as 25 soldiers being injured. Thus, Djokovic joined in and gave a special message for his countrymen after a winning start at the Roland Garros.

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'My stance is clear: I am against wars, violence and any kind of conflict, as I’ve always stated publicly'

After his match, Djokovic told a news briefing, "As a son of a man born in Kosovo, I feel the need to give my support to our people and to the entire Serbia. My stance is clear: I am against wars, violence and any kind of conflict, as I’ve always stated publicly. I empathise with all people, but the situation with Kosovo is a precedent in international law."

The French tennis federation (FFT), which organises the French Open, reacted to Djokovic's message and told Reuters, "No official Grand Slam rules on what players can or cannot say. The FFT will not be making any statement or taking any stance on this matter."

Djokovic will now lock horns with Hungary's MartonFucsovics in the second round on Wednesday (May 31). He is expected to go the distance in 2023's second Grand Slam tournament and compete for the mega title along with No. 1 ranked Carlos Alcaraz.