Novak Djokovic, born 1987, No. 3 in the world – Photo Getty Images
It’s not an easy few months for Emma Raducanu. The British tennis player recently underwent multiple operations on her hands and left foot with the aim of making a full recovery from the physical ailments she had been suffering from during recent tournaments. This time off from racing seems to have given her time to reflect and to make a new decision that doesn’t surprise many: Emma will not continue her work with the last trainer. Sebastian Sachs.
Sachs, who joined her earlier this year after working with Swiss tennis player Belinda Bencic, will no longer be part of Raducanu’s team. Curiously, Bencic recently started a partnership with Dmitry Tursunov, Raducanu’s former coach.
It’s possible that Raducanu’s prolonged absence from the pitches for much of 2023 played a major role in that decision. The fact that the young British tennis player is recovering from surgery may have influenced her desire for a change in her team
What is certain, however, is that Raducanu is now without a coach. This decision marks the beginning of a new chapter for her as she focuses on recovery and continuing to improve her game.
The reactions and consequences of the message we started continue Novak Djokovic after his victorious debut at Roland Garros 2023. While the organization of the Paris tournament is dealing internally with the Serbian tennis player’s claims that “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia, let’s stop the violence”, the Kosovar authorities continue to be critical of his words.
The latest statement comes from Chip HadergjonajPresident of the Kosovo Tennis Federation, who requested a “sanction” against the Belgrade champions from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the Association of Professional Tennis Players (ATP).
“It’s not appropriate for a public figure like Djokovic to deliver such a message in a tournament of this level,” Hadergjonaj said. “A month ago, during a basketball game, the crowd chanted ‘Kosovo is Serbia’; Djokovic didn’t shout but made hand gestures to back up his claim. We must react. Tomorrow we will make an official request to punish Djokovic for a fine. We will consult the ATP, the ITF and the French Tennis Federation.”
This request underscores the tension Djokovic’s words have created. Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, is a territory whose sovereignty is still the subject of international disputes. The words of the Serbian tennis player have therefore reopened a very sensitive wound.
