Serbia’s President Tadic and Crown Prince Alexander II Praise Wimbledon Win
Flags, fireworks and fanfares erupted across Serbia to mark the moment when Novak Djoković raised the iconic trophy as Wimbledon Men’s Singles Champion 2011.
The country had come to a virtual standstill as even the most fair-weather sports fan sat on the edge of their seat in front of TVs in homes, bars and cafes to watch the Serb’s first Wimbledon Final against the defending champion Rafeal Nadal.
Belgrade’s was deserted during the game but, as the matched ended, that same city’s streets soon filled with honking horns and crowds of revellers chanting the name Đoković and celebrating into the long night ahead.
As well as his family and girlfriend, Đoković, 24, was watched from the Wimbledon terraces by Serbian President Boris Tadić, Foreign Affairs Minister Vuk Jeremić and the Serbian Ambassador to the UK Dr Dejan Popović.
 |
| Serbia’s President Boris Tadić |
President Tadić was noticeably anxious during the tense moments in the match as he watched from the Royal Box. But his excitement was clear and Tadić quickly rose to his feet and punched the air with excitement when Đoković clinched the Wimbledon title. The President was later seen warmly embracing and congratulating his country’s new champion in the All England Club’s private reception area.
As with any Wimbledon Final, celebrities, politicians and sports stars filled many of the seats, with British actor Alan Rickman, F1 driver Jenson Button and former British Prime Minister John Major among those joining Wimbledon champions from across the decades to witness the epic clash of the tennis titans. They were joined by Serbian pop star Zeljko Joksimović and his TV-star girlfriend Jovana Janković.
Immediately after the match, praise and congratulations started flooding in for Đoković and his thrilling victory. Serbia’s Crown Prince Alexander II led the congratulations and echoed the feelings of many around the World. The Crown Prince is a big sports fan and has watched Djoković play on many occasions, including private games on the tennis courts at Belgrade’s Royal Palace.
“My family and I send you our warmest congratulations for the extraordinary results you have accomplished during this Tournament,’ the Crown Prince said in a personal letter of support to Đoković. “Once again you have impressed us with your play, skills, and persistence. We are proud of you and so is the whole of Serbia. You are also like a super ambassador for Serbia. Well done!”
Serbia’s Ambassador to the UK, Dr Dejan Popović was watching the action unfold from Wimbledon. After the match, he said he felt that Djoković was likely to be an encouraging role model to young people. The morning after the celebrations, Dr Popović told W!LD RooSTeR: “Aside from all the pride and joy I felt yesterday, there was one thing that I kept thinking about as a source of hope for the young of Serbia following Novak’s victory. The fact that all his hard work, his discipline and strong will have yielded such glorious results will, I believe, be the best motivation for the generations to come to work industriously on reaching their goals.”
 |
| Jelena Markovic by M.Erdinc (Vangelizza) |
Miss Serbia 2009 Jelena Markovic, who represented her country at the Miss World and Miss Tourism World events, was celebrating on the streets when Djoković raised the trophy. “Serbia is celebrating! On this day, the whole nation was breathing for the same person,’ said Jelena. “When the speaker screamed ‘Djoković is number one’, people were singing in the street, phoning each other, hugging! We were all together, happy and proud.
“Serbia is a country of sport and I can say without doubt that Djoković is something special. What a great performance this was by our young Novak. He has shown that, even when you are number one and on top of the world, you are still a young boy who is proud on his country. He did this for all of us. Tears of happiness rolled down the faces of so many people today. If you can do that, you are a legend. Djoković is that now: a legend.”
In Wimbledon, Serb tennis coach Dragan Macura, had organised gatherings to watch the day’s events unfold. Dragan, founder of the London Sport Society, believes that this victory will add fuel to the fire of young people in Serbia, the UK and around the world who are flocking to take up tennis.
“This win is wonderful in so many ways,’ he told W!LD RooSTeR. “I think it will benefit Serbian sports greatly. If nothing else, it will make people even more proud of who they are and where they come from. Hopefully it will help deliver financial benefits to tennis, too.
“So many kids are taking up the sport in Serbia and abroad, including the UK, and they need this sort of role model. The whole region has had its fair share of bad news over the years so a winner like Djokovic can only be good for us.”
Dragan explained that the London Sports Society was set up to benefit and encourage all young sportspeople. So far, Serbian sports stars and organisations have been supportive of the project, providing tickets and encouragements for the young trainees.
“A natural focus for us is on the Slavic people in the area but the point is to be inclusive and give opportunities to all young people in the community,’ he said. “That is what we are in existence to do, to bring people together in sport. That can only be good for the community.”
No comments yet.
Be first to leave your comment!