‘But Djokovic is Serbian’: Why Novak suddenly became the focus of a bizarre Pope–Montenegro President exchange

Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic’s Djokovic mention left Pope Leo XIV correcting him, as the awkward exchange went viral on social media.

Prefer HTon Google

Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic recently found himself in a rather awkward situation during his visit to the Vatican, where he met Pope Leo XIV, and it involved Novak Djokovic. Yes, the tennis legend.

The visit was significant, marking the 140th anniversary of the Concordat between the Holy See and Montenegro and 20 years of diplomatic relations between the two.

Milatovic presented the Pope with a specially made tennis racquet featuring motifs of Montenegrin state symbols. He also presented him with a reproduction of the first page of the 1886 Concordat between the Principality of Montenegro and the Holy See. It was during this conversation that Djokovic was mentioned.

Milatovic brought up Djokovic in the context of tennis in Montenegro, but the Pope quickly corrected him with the remark: “But (Djokovic) is Serbian.”

Milatovic, however, continued by saying that the 24-time Grand Slam winner is “you know, also very keen on Montenegro.”

The clip quickly went viral on social media.

Djokovic in China Open final

Miles away from this conversation, Djokovic is currently competing at the China Open, where he reached the final in Beijing after beating Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals. The match was marred by the Russian's disqualification after he hit the balltowards a spectator in apparent frustration.

Earlier, Djokovic had defeated Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals. Zverev has won two Grand Slam titles this year.

Djokovic, who holds an unprecedented 33-0 record at the tournament, which he last played in 2015, will now aim to win his first title since the Hellenic Championship in Athens, Greece, on November 8, 2025. He will face No. 9 seed Alex de Minaur in the final on Tuesday.

The Australian advanced to the final after Hubert Hurkacz retired due to an apparent injury midway through the second set of their semifinal.

It will be Djokovic’s second final of the year after he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final.

With his ranking down to No. 11, this is the first time in eight years that Djokovic is playing a tournament outside the top 10. It is also his first tournament since his first-round exit from the US Open.

• 

  Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

• Novak Djokovic

Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Olympics 2024, where Indian athletes will compete for glory in Paris. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.