Novak Djokovic tennis court inaugurated in Belgrade: 'My greatest wish is...'

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Novak Djokovic tennis court inaugurated in Belgrade: 'My greatest wish is...'

Learn more about the court and its inauguration event

troisixzero Novak Djokovic spends time with local children at the newly inaugurated Novak Djokovic tennis court in Belgrade. By ATP Staff

Lacoste on Wednesday inaugurated the Novak Djokovic tennis court in Belgrade, the hometown of the international champion. The court, which was renovated with a special design, celebrates Djokovic’s career.

The project was carried out in partnership with the Novak Djokovic Foundation, which develops early childhood education initiatives in Serbia to combat educational inequality from a young age. The court will be operated by the foundation as part of its educational programme.

“I am super pleased that we are able to offer this to this city and this part of the town that has a lot of families and children that are excited to try their luck with tennis,” said Djokovic, who attended the event and rallied with local children on the court. “My greatest wish is for the children to feel completely free, happy, themselves. As an athlete, there is no greater joy for me than seeing many children doing sports and being outdoors.”

Located in the heart of his native city, the court’s one-of-a-kind design pays tribute to Djokovic’s career and offers young people the opportunity to discover tennis while also taking part in educational, cultural and creative activities.

Photo credit: Troisixzero

The opening of the Novak Djokovic court in Belgrade is part of a broader initiative launched in 2020 by Lacoste and We Are Etendart, which has already led to the creation of several courts around the world — including a previous Novak Djokovic court in Clichy, as well as others in São Paulo, New York, Troyes, and more recently, Grasse.

In Belgrade, the Novak Djokovic Foundation, We Are Etendart, and Lacoste reaffirm their shared commitment to expanding youth access to tennis. The choice of Belgrade was a natural one to honour Djokovic’s exceptional track record, including 99 tour-level titles.

The Novak Djokovic Foundation was founded by the former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings alongside his wife, co-founder and Global CEO Jelena Djokovic. The foundation has made great strides in the community, building or refurbishing 73 schools and helping thousands of children and families.

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