After reaching the semifinals of the US Open, where he was eliminated by champion Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic has decided to relocate permanently with his family to Athens, Greece. The move comes after the Serbian tennis star was branded a “traitor” by President Aleksandar Vucic.
Vucic, in power since 2017, criticized Djokovic for supporting student-led protests calling for elections and denouncing what demonstrators describe as an autocratic regime with “strangling control over the judiciary and media”.
Djokovic is set to apply for Greece’s so-called “golden visa,” which grants permanent residency to non-EU citizens in exchange for a significant financial investment in the country. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has already met twice with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis this year, most recently in August, to finalize the process, according to local media.
As part of the relocation, the ATP 250 tournament previously held in Belgrade and owned by Djokovic will be moved to Athens. The investment in the event is also tied to his golden visa application.
According to Greek media, Djokovic plans to open a tennis academy in Athens and will base his own training at the Tatoi Club, located near the former royal estates. The area is expected to become the permanent home for the Djokovic family.
The student protest Djokovic supported
Since November of last year, Serbian students have led massive demonstrations “against corruption and in favor of the rule of law,” sparked by public outrage over the collapse of a train station canopy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people.
In December, Djokovic spoke out about the tragedy, and the following month he dedicated one of his victories to a student who was struck by a car during a protest and hospitalized.
By March, when an estimated 300,000 people took to the streets of Belgrade to protest against Vucic’s government, Djokovic posted photos of the march on Instagram with the caption: “Historic, magnificent!”.