Kosovo tennis chiefs to make Djokovic complaint

TENNIS officials in Kosovo were today sending an official complaint to the ATP, International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the French Tennis Federation (FFT) ahead of Novak Djokovic’s French Open second-round match.

Djokovic courted controversy when he wrote on a TV camera: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence.” The comments came amid growing tension in the region.

The FFT said they would not sanction the 22-time Grand Slam champion over his actions. But Jeton Hadergjonaj, head of the Kosovo Tennis Federation, was lodging an official complaint today.

He said: “[Djokovic] suggested he has roots from Kosovo because his father was born [there]. He lived in the north part and in that part there is some trouble and some of the peacekeepers, international soldiers, were injured because Serbian people attack them.

“Okay, Djokovic has some connections, he still has some family there, I think, and he visited that part. It’s understandable he’s connected, but Kosovo is an independent country recognised by ITF, Tennis Europe and the international community [yet] he continuously attacks us every time he can do it.

“According to the Olympics charter, the fundamental principle is that sporting organisations within the movement should apply political neutrality.”

Djokovic (above), who takes on Marton Fucsovics in the late match on Philippe-Chatrier tonight, also found himself caught up in another spat. Following Djokovic’s meeting with Cameron Norrie, who was playing Lucas Pouille this afternoon, at the recent Italian Open, he accused the Briton of lacking fair play after hitting him with an overhead shot and excessive fist pumping.

But Norrie hit back yesterday, saying: “I didn’t think I was in his face at all.”