"They know what happened": Israeli former player Andy Ram calls out Novak Djokovic for lack of support

Ram, who won the 2008 Australian Open doubles title alongside compatriot Jonathan Erlich, singled out Djokovic because he believes the Serbian should have offered public support to Israel, considering the World No.1's ties with the nation.

"I'm sure they (tennis players) have heard of the stories," said Ram in an interview with I24News (an Israeli international 24-hour news and current affairs television channel located in Tel Aviv, Israel). "They know what happened... It's disappointing a little bit because Djokovic as a father, parent, thinking of little kids kidnapped, murdered, burned alive...I mean, he should be a little bit sensitive for the situation."

During the 2022 season, Djokovic won the Tel Aviv Open, in addition to playing doubles alongside Erlich in the Israeli's farewell in Tel Aviv. Following the escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, the ATP canceled the Tel Aviv Open scheduled to take place between November 05-11, 2023.