Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic reveals Lacoste was under pressure to terminate their contract following the Australia visa debacle. However, Lacoste refused to part ways with Djokovic and the 20-time Grand Slam champion is grateful for the Lacoste support.
Djokovic’s vaccine stance and the Australia visa drama drew lots of focus earlier this year and many were curious to see how would his sponsors react. Lacoste refused to terminate their contract with Djokovic but French carmaker Peugeot went other route and decided to part ways with the Serb.
“There are things I cannot talk about before public statements are made,” Djokovic told Serbian reporters in Paris, per Tennis Majors. “My main sponsors stayed with me and I am grateful for it, but some sponsors I no longer have.
That is all that I can say, it is not my place to evaluate whether somebody should have stayed with me or left me.”
Djokovic: I’m grateful to Lacoste
Djokovic was extremely grateful for the support Lacoste showed and added he is proud to represent a brand that has been around tennis for a very long time.
“Particularly, Lacoste. We have been in regular contact, mostly Edoardo (Artaldi, one of Djokovic’s agents), but I have personally spoken with the head of Lacoste. They understood the whole situation, everything that was happening.
As their global ambassador, I am important to them, but their position was not easy. They have told us that they have been under pressure from the media, from some clients that maybe weren’t happy with me staying with the company,” Djokovic revealed.
“Challenges always present themselves, so to say, but I think they made a good choice and I am grateful. I will try to represent the Lacoste brand just like I did up until now, in the best possible way. After all, it is a brand with great tradition, one of the greatest in tennis, and I am proud to wear the crocodile on my shirt.”
