Novak Djokovic has been fiercely criticised by the former deputy prime minister of Serbia after he sent a pointed message following the Australian Open final. The veteran Serb was beaten in four sets by Carlos Alcaraz in the Melbourne showpiece earlier this month. Afterwards, he made a comment alluding to the struggles of students and a large number of people against the regime of Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vucic.
Speaking in his press conference after the final, Djokovic said: “A message for our people in Serbia: justice and truth always win. Let them persevere.” Chaos has reigned for just over a year in Djokovic’s home country, with students staging mass demonstrations opposing alleged corruption during Vucic’s tenure. Zorana Mihajlovic, the former deputy prime minister, wasn’t impressed with Djokovic’s comments and responded in brutal fashion.
She branded the 38-year-old ‘pathetic’ and sensationally claimed that he was undermining Vucic’s authority with the goal of becoming president himself.
Mihajlovic said: “Pathetic. No matter how great an athlete he is, the message is sent by a man who barely finished elementary school and was expelled from high school. So what, he wants to lead the state? To use his own children in a political campaign.”
For many years, Mihajlovic worked within the Serbian Progressive Party, the same party as Vucic. She served as deputy prime minister between 2014 and 2022 before stepping back a year later.
She has since established her own political movement, Always for Serbia, which presents itself as an alternative to the current regime and favours closer ties with Europe.
The protests were fuelled by the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad in 2024, which killed 16 people. The disaster led to widespread anger directed at Vucic, who has been president since 2017, with students blaming alleged corruption.
Djokovic previously offered his backing to the protestors on social media, writing: “As someone who deeply believes in the power of youth and their desire for a better future, I believe it’s important that their voices are heard.
“Serbia has enormous potential, and its educated youth is its greatest strength. What we all need is understanding and respect. With you, Novak.”
Meanwhile, at last year’s Australian Open, Djokovic dedicated one of his victories to a student who had been hit by a car during a protest.