Djokovic criticized the Kosovo Tennis Federation’s comments at the French Open

PARIS (AP) Novak Djokovic has drawn criticism from Kosovo’s tennis federation but not French Open organizers after expressing his thoughts on clashes between ethnic Serbs and police and NATO peacekeepers in northern Kosovo.

Djokovic is a 36-year-old Serbian who has won 22 Grand Slam titles and is scheduled to play in the second round at Roland Garros on Wednesday.

On Monday, after winning the first round, Djokovic wrote in Serbian on the court’s TV camera lens: Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence.

The Kosovo Tennis Federation said on Tuesday that Djokovic’s comments were unfortunate because he increased tensions between Serbia and Kosovo.

Belgrade does not recognize Serbia’s former province, Kosovo, from its 2008 declaration of independence. Ethnic Albanians make up the majority of the population, but Kosovo has a restive Serb minority in neighboring Serbia’s north.

NATO said on Tuesday it sends 700 more troops to northern Kosovo to help quell violent protests after 30 international soldiers were wounded in clashes with ethnic Serbs. Tensions first rose over the weekend after ethnic Albanian officials, elected in elections overwhelmingly boycotted by Serbs, entered municipal buildings. When the Serbs tried to stop them, Kosovo police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Speaking to reporters in Serbian, Djokovic said on Monday that he thought what he wrote on the TV camera was the least I could do.

I feel the responsibility as a public figure… and as the son of a man born in Kosovo, Djokovic said.

Without mentioning Djokovic by name, French Open organizers said in a statement on Tuesday that no rules had been broken: Sometimes the tournament involves discussions of international news events, which is understandable.

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