Shamil Tarpishchev, the president of the Russian Tennis Federation (RFF), stated that world number one Novak Djokovic will be unable to take part in the planned friendly match between Russia and Serbia. The remarks were reported by TASS.
According to Tarpishchev, Djokovic has two back-to-back tournaments in the United States, and physically he would struggle to compete in the football match. These comments underscore a scheduling and fitness concern ahead of the March 21 clash at Dynamo Stadium in Moscow.
The Russia-Serbia fixture marks another chapter in a longstanding sporting dialogue between the two nations. The teams have met six times in their history, with Russia securing three wins, Serbia one, and two matches finishing in draws. Their most recent encounter occurred during the League of Nations in November 2020, when Serbia delivered a decisive 5-0 victory.
Past years have seen Russian participation in international competitions curtailed by broader governing bodies. In the spring of 2022, the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) moved to suspend Russia from all events under their purview, extending a hiatus that affected both national teams and clubs as sanctions and geopolitical tensions influenced the landscape of international football.
Earlier discussions included ideas from Guus Hiddink about reintegrating Russia into international tournaments, highlighting the ongoing conversation about Russia’s status on the world stage and the prospects for a return to widespread competition.