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.
I really think they need to make the 2024 #AusOpen a flag-free zone if their security repeatedly can't figure this stuff out. Tournament security has been pretty abysmal (though we haven't had the ~annual court invader during the men's final yet).
Why am I seeing a Chetnik flag amongst the Serbian crowd at the Tsitsipas vs Djokovic match? Are ultra fascist symbols allowed in the @AustralianOpen now?
