tennis

Saving Serbia

Updated Jul. 17, 2020 5:10 p.m. ET

With the NBA, NHL, NASCAR and other major sports leagues and sporting events suspended or canceled, professional athletes are using their platforms to facilitate financial support for arena workers and those affected by COVID-19 across the nation. Each day, we will feature a philanthropic effort taking place in the sports world.

The biggest news in the tennis world is that the 2020 edition of Wimbledon was cancelled on Wednesday.

But even prior to Wimbledon's cancellation, Novak Djokovic's mind was elsewhere – specifically, it was with his home country of Serbia.

Alongside his wife, Jelena, Novak Djokovic – the No. 1 ranked men's tennis player in the world – is fighting back against COVID-19.

Through the Novak Djokovic Foundation, Djokovic is donating 1 million euros to the country of Serbia in order to purchase medical supplies and equipment.

Novak and Jelena's press conference is not in english, the but the message is made clear by Novak in a separate Instagram post:

Dear friends, this is a video from the press conference my wife @jelenadjokovicndf and I hosted this afternoon to announce that we donated 1 million euros through our @novakfoundation to Serbia for the purchase of medical equipment and supplies. We have spent the past several weeks gathering every piece of necessary information on COVID-19 in order to make this informed decision on how my family could make the biggest and best impact on our country. People from the Republic of China have given us tremendous help and support, we cannot thank them enough.
I keep receiving calls from all over the world and people want to help but don’t know where or how. We have decided to open an emergency account through Novak Djokovic Foundation where our family money will go and I’m directing any other person that wishes to help to donate there. All the money will go towards the purchase of respirators, medical equipment, and any required supplies like masks.
I am fully aware of how much this crisis has impacted everyone on all fronts.. I am touched by the generosity that keeps pouring from across the globe with the intention to give back and help in Serbia. I am very proud to be an athlete in these times, among many greats who have come forward to bring people together at a time when we are apart - to bring hope, community, and inspire others in the same way to use our platforms for good. This is what life is all about - giving.
For more information, please visit @novakfoundation and novakdjokovicfoundation.org. Our team is here to help. Stay positive, we will get through this together 🙏🏼❤️. Much love to all, Novak

Djokovic – a native of Belgrade, Serbia – is a 17-time Grand Slam winner and won his eighth Australian Open title earlier this year.

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