Novak Djokovic has said he is “very happy” about a significant election result in Serbia after his political stance made him the target of a smear campaign in his home country.

Earlier this week, Aleksandar Vucic — who had been Serbia’s leader since 2017 — conceded that his Serbian Progressive Party had lost a parliamentary election to a student-led opposition.

The student movement formed on 1 November 2024 after a railway station disaster killed 16 people. Following the disaster, mass protests took place in Novi Sad, the second largest city in Serbia, with demonstrators accusing Serbian police and local authorities of negligence and corruption.

In December 2024, Djokovic expressed support for the student-led protests against Vucic and the government as a whole.

“As someone who deeply believes in the power of young people and their desire for a better future, I consider it important that their voice is heard,” Djokovic wrote on X/Twitter.

“Serbia has enormous potential, and educated youth is its greatest strength. What we all need is understanding and respect. With you, Novak.”

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According to journalist Jaschar Dugalic, reporting for German news outlet Neue Zurcher Zeitung, the Serbian government “set its sights” on Djokovic as a result of his stance.

Dugalic reported that “regime-friendly media” in Serbia attacked the character of Djokovic, with tabloid newspaper Informer branding Djokovic a “disgrace” in response to his public support for the protests.

After it was reported that Djokovic was considering moving to Greece with his family, the same outlet labelled him “a false patriot who had presented himself as a symbol of Serbia for years only to now flee to Greece.”

In September 2025, Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, relocated from Belgrade to Athens with their children, Stefan and Tara.

In a press conference at the Swiss Indoors in Basel, Djokovic was asked if he was satisfied with the outcome of the election.

“Yes, I am satisfied,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion replied.

“I’m very happy about it, and my deepest respect to the students and young people that have fought, they have shown dignity and incredible resilience the last two years with humongous pressure.

“I have a lot of admiration for what they have done and how they have conducted themselves. And they’ve managed to create this kind of sense of pride in all the people, not just in Serbia, but abroad as well.

“The victory is secured and we all have now hopes that our country will be prosperous, and that we’ll be enjoying the future that is coming.”

In November last year, Djokovic opened up about his move to Athens in an interview with Greek outlet SDNA ahead of the inaugural Hellenic Championship — an ATP tournament in Athens organised by the Djokovic family.

The former world No 1 said that moving to Greece with his family “wasn’t something I had planned for a long time”, explaining that things had changed in his life “both privately and professionally” in the last two years.

Djokovic stressed that the priority for him and his wife was for their children to grow up in “the most beneficial environment”, and he added that they felt “welcome” in Greece.

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