Another flag furore hits Australian Open as Novak Djokovic fan displays ‘ultra-fascist’ symbol

Another flag frenzy has hit the Australian Open when an apparent Novak Djokovic supporter was seen brandishing an “ultra-fascist symbol” during the men’s final.

A Twitter user noticed the fan holding a Chetnik flag during the TV broadcast of the Djokovic-Tsitsipas match.

‘Why do I see a Chetnik flag in the Serbian crowd at the Tsitsipas vs Djokovic match? Are ultra-fascist symbols allowed at the Australian Open now? asked Sophie Mac.

A Twitter user noticed the fan holding a Chetnik flag (pictured) during the TV broadcast of the Djokovic-Tsitsipas match.

The Chetniks were Serb ultranationalists who committed war crimes during World War II and are widely considered to be a far-right group.

Tennis fans have taken to social media to criticize officials for allowing the flag to be raised at Melbourne Park.

@AustralianOpen @TennisAustralia has yet to remove that fascist or confiscate his flag. A total failure and a shame. Genuinely embarrassing and embarrassing,” wrote one Twitter user.

Fascist Chetniks collaborated with the Nazis and murdered tens of thousands of Muslims and Croats during World War II in an effort to create an ethnic Serb state. Unsurprisingly, Australian Open security let fascist flags into the stadium while cracking down on Peng Shuai jerseys,” said another.

Tennis writer Ben Rothenberg has called for the Australian Open to ban flags altogether if security cannot prevent the incidents from occurring.

“I really think they need to make #AusOpen 2024 a flag-free zone if their security repeatedly can’t figure this out. Tournament security has been pretty abysmal (although we haven’t had the annual pitch invader during the men’s final yet),’ he wrote on Twitter.

Earlier in the tournament, Djokovic’s father, Srbjan, was warned that he could be thrown out of the men’s final after causing outrage by being filmed next to a man posing with a Russian flag bearing the face of Vladimir Putin.

Earlier in the tournament, Djokovic’s father, Srbjan (pictured), was warned about his future behavior after causing outrage by posing with a Russian flag emblazoned with Vladimir Putin’s face.

A video posted on YouTube showed Srdjan posing next to the flag and a supporter chanting “Long live Russia!”

One of the men in the video clip was wearing a T-shirt with the ‘Z’ symbol, an emblem that represents support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Australian Open entry rules prohibit the display of flags in support of Russia or Belarus.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, expressed his disgust at the behavior of the fans.

It is a complete package. Among the Serbian flags there is a Russian flag, Putin, symbol Z, called the flag of the Donetsk People’s Republic. It’s a shame,” he told the Herald Sun.