Follow usAustralian Open director Craig Tiley has expressed his desire for a giant statue of Novak Djokovic to be erected at Melbourne Park, recognizing the Serbian’s dominance at the tournament.
Djokovic, who has won a record 10 Australian Open titles, has a complicated relationship with Australia, particularly following his deportation in 2022 over COVID-19 vaccination issues. Over the years, he has also had several clashes with Australian fans, officials, and the media. Most recently, Djokovic was booed by fans after retiring during his semi-final match against Alexander Zverev.
Craig Tiley boss of the Australian Open wants to erect a Novak Djokovic statue at Melbourne Park 🤩
Craig Tiley says, erecting a statue for the 10-time Australian open champion is a no-brainer and the Serb can win the local grand slam again 👏🔥 #NovakDjokovic pic.twitter.com/DAzZp66Fd6
— FirstSportz (@sportzfirst1) January 27, 2025
Despite the controversies, Tiley believes that Djokovic’s achievements at the Australian Open should be celebrated. Speaking to News Corp, he said:
“I would like to have a whole area full of statues of the great tennis players.”
Tiley explained that Melbourne Park was designed with tennis in mind and attracts visitors from all over the world. He emphasized the importance of commemorating legendary players, adding:
“Every year we put up a new statue of an Australian, and this area is dedicated to tennis. It was built with tennis in mind and so many people come here from all over the world.”
Acknowledging Djokovic’s success in Melbourne, Tiley continued:
“I mean, he has won this event 10 times, and I still think he can win it again. I think any time we can recognize tennis or champions in the game, I’ll take advantage of that. Whether it’s Novak, Roger Federer, Serena Williams – the list goes on.”
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