Further flag controversy as Chetnik flag spotted in crowd during Djokovic-Tsitsipas Australian Open Final
Tennis NewsSunday, 29 January 2023 at 12:15
There has been further controversy over flags during the final of the 2023 Australian Open with a controversial Chetnik flag spotted in the crowd of the men's final between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Twitter user, Sophie Mak which was then shared by prominent journalist, Ben Rothenberg spotlighted this saying: “Why am I seeing a Chetnik flag amongst the Serbian crowd at the Tsitsipas vs Djokovic match? Are ultra fascist symbols allowed in the Australian Open now?"
The Chetniks were a paramilitary ultra nationalist group who committed war crimes during World War II and to this day are still considered a far right group.
Previously Novak himself courted controversy for holding a bottle featuring a picture of the leader of the movement, Draža Mihailović.
But it poses questions regarding Tennis Australia as despite a blanket ban on flags after Russian flags were waved in particular during a match against a Ukrainian, they have still found their way in.
This has included Novak's father Srdjan who was pictured with a Russian flag alongside pro Putin supporters earlier this week and has not attended the rest of the tournament as a result.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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