Home

Tennis

Entangled in Controversies During Construction, Novak Djokovic-Backed Tournament Sees the Light of the Day as Mayor Heaps Praise on the Serb

Published 04/19/2023, 11:16 AM EDT

Follow Us

Novak Djokovic is without a doubt one of the most admired and accomplished individuals in tennis and the wider sporting realm. However, the Serbian tennis player and his family somehow manage to find themselves embroiled in a lot of controversies and drama around sports and politics. Now, once again, the Djokovic family is in hot waters due to their recent establishment of a tournament in the renowned city of Bosnia.

It is the tennis complex in particular that has been a target of a lot of allegations related to construction and legal charges. Amidst all those controversies and legal drama, Banja Luka Mayor, Drasko Stanivukovic praised the 22 singles Grand Slam champion and his family for their “brave” endeavors.

The family of Novak Djokovic embroiled in construction and legal controversies

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

A lot of tennis fans were excited when they found out about a tournament being organized in Banja Luka, by the Serbian tennis legend’s family. Further, a tennis complex has been constructed in Bosnia-Herzegovina that will soon feature some of the top ATP players including Novak Djokovic himself, competing for the title.

An opening ceremony was also conducted for the facility in which high-profile individuals like Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, and Banja Luka Mayor, Drasko Stanivukovic , were also there. According to a report from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the government entities involved has invited a whopping amount estimated at 30 million Bosnian marks ($16 million) in the establishment of the tennis facility. It will include several facilities for the athletes and the public in addition to outdoor and indoor clay courts.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest Tennis stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

via Reuters

However, it has been lately a target of legal charges and drama as Transparency International in Bosnia has accused the Banja Luka government authorities of exploiting the budget funds to build the tennis complex. They are also claiming that the construction work began without receiving approval, which was later issued after a period of 2 months.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Despite all the controversies, Banja Luka Mayor, Drasko Stanivukovic has lauded the decision of constructing a tennis facility in the city. He said, “You have to be brave to do things that are on the edge of legal norms but still in accordance with them and morally correct”. 

Controversy Ensues as Novak Djokovic Breaks Racquet in Frustration After Falling Prey to a Bizarre Monte Carlo Masters Incident

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

What do you think of the controversial tournament backed by the Serbian tennis legend? Let us know in the comments section.

Watch this story – ‘Why Is His Brother Taking a Video..Sweet Home Alabama?’ – Tennis Fans React Hilariously to Unearthed Novak Djokovic Underwear Photo

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Anurag Gusain

1,583Articles

One take at a time

Anurag Gusain is a tennis writer at EssentiallySports. Being a huge tennis fan, he enjoys watching the Spanish legend Rafael Nadal dominate other superstars on the ATP Tour. His coverage of Nadal's 14 French Open titles has been hailed as some of the best in the business, showcasing his talent for storytelling and his ability to capture the essence of the sport.
Show More>

Edited by:

Arijit Saha