Djokovic 'Lost All His Nerves Over Crvena Zvezda' and Delighted Greeks: 'Congratulations to Our Brothers!'

Pulse Sports Team 02:09 - 25 May 2026

When he's not on the tennis court, Novak Djokovic is often found courtside at basketball games. The greatest of all time closely follows the action under the hoops – and that doesn't change even when he's at a tournament.

It's well-known that Novak Djokovic is a passionate basketball fan, often seen courtside – whether in Belgrade or Athens – whenever his schedule permits.

However, he had to miss the EuroLeague Final Four this year, as he's currently fighting his own battles on the clay courts of Roland Garros.

While Djokovic was battling Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard's powerful serves on Court Philippe Chatrier on Sunday, Olympiacos defeated Real Madrid in the EuroLeague final.

After his match, Novak reflected on the basketball season, candidly admitting the emotional toll of supporting his teams, and sportingly congratulated the new European champions:

"I've lost all my nerves this year over Crvena Zvezda, and as for Olympiacos – congratulations to our brothers from Piraeus. What can I say? I truly believe they were the best; they were so dominant all season, there's nothing more to add."

Novak also added that, from the perspective of a pure basketball fanatic, he regretted that the audience didn't get to witness the iconic Greek derby.

"I think it would have been an even bigger spectacle if Panathinaikos had also qualified; that would have been truly phenomenal to watch. But even so, I think it was somewhat expected; they were truly the biggest favorites, and congratulations to them."

As basketball passions slowly subside, Novak still faces his biggest tests in Paris. The Serbian tennis player is preparing for new challenges, with Valentin Royer set to be his opponent in the second round.