As student protests gain momentum in New Delhi, Novak Djokovic’s support for Serbia’s student movement has once again come into focus. The 24-time Grand Slam champion was one of the most prominent public figures to stand with Serbian students since nationwide demonstrations following the deadly Novi Sad railway station tragedy in November 2024.

The movement began after a concrete canopy collapsed on the newly renovated Novi Sad railway station on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people. The incident sparked public outrage and students accused the government of corruption, negligence and lack of transparency. What began as anger over the tragedy soon turned into a nationwide movement demanding accountability, and Djokovic emerged as one of its most recognizable supporters.

Speaking for the first time in December 2024, he said that Serbia’s educated youth represent the country’s greatest strength and deserve to be heard.

A month later, during the Australian Open, Djokovic again put his weight behind the movement. After one of her wins, she wrote “For Sonja” on the camera lens in support of student Sonja Ponjavić, who was seriously injured after being hit by a car during a protest. Making his sentiment clear, Djokovic said that he stands with the students fighting for a better future and cannot remain silent about what is happening in his country.

His support did not stop here. In the months that followed, Djokovic attended a basketball derby in Belgrade wearing a hoodie bearing the slogan “Students are champions”, a phrase closely linked to the protests. In March, he and his wife Jelena led a student rally described as “historic” that was attended by more than 100,000 people, giving further strength to a movement that had been gaining momentum.

Djokovic also found himself at the center of conversation during Wimbledon 2025. His now-famous goal celebration was widely interpreted as an allusion to the protesters’ “Pampaz” slogan, although he later insisted that it was merely a celebration he shared with his children and was not intended as a political message. However, his comments ahead of the US Open left no room for doubt.

Warning that Serbia is “literally on the brink of civil war”, Djokovic spoke openly about rising political tensions in the country. Later that year, she also expressed support for Dijana Hrka, whose son died in the Novi Sad station collapse, after she began a hunger strike outside parliament demanding accountability.

His repeated support for the student movement came at a cost. Pro-government tabloids and media outlets, many of which had once celebrated him as Serbia’s greatest sporting icon, turned against him.

A mural of Djokovic was vandalized in Belgrade, while he later moved his family to Greece amid rising political tensions and continued criticism from pro-government media. Despite the criticism, Djokovic never distanced himself from the students or their calls for accountability.

Throughout the protests, Djokovic was careful to avoid associating himself with any political party. Instead, he consistently said that students have every right to protest peacefully and demand answers from those in power.

His comments and actions have drawn renewed attention as India sees its own wave of student protests. Thousands of people have taken to the streets in New Delhi demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam paper leaks and concerns over the evaluation system.

The protests began last month following allegations of leaks in the medical entrance exam, an issue that affected nearly two million candidates. Protests intensified this week as thousands of students marched towards Parliament in New Delhi. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the protesters, leaving several people injured.

The movement has since spread beyond the national capital. Students have also protested in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Goa, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Jammu and Ahmedabad to maintain pressure on the government as demands for accountability continue to grow.

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