Tennis legend Novak Djokovic is eyeing a move to Athens, Greece, according to reports.
Novak Djokovic is said to be relocating (Image: Getty)
Novak Djokovic is reportedly set to move into a stunning property in Greece that formerly belonged to the owner of the Panathanaikos basketball team. Reports have emerged stating that the 24-time Grand Slam winner is leaving his £8.5million mansion in Marbella, Spain, in favour of a new home in Athens.
Djokovic is currently gearing up to play at Wimbledon, which gets underway on June 30 and concludes in mid-July. But it was the tennis legend’s moves off the court that came to the fore this week, with Greek outlet Proto Thema claiming the tennis legend has decided to move to their nation as part of preparations for his life after retirement. It was reported that Djokovic is interested in a luxury property in the north of Athens, near Marousi, which Serbian outlet Blic claims happens to be the former villa of Dimitris Giannakopoulos, who owns famous Athens-based basketball side Panathanaikos.
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Djokovic is claimed to have recently had lunch with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and businessman Petros Stathis, in which he was granted a ‘Golden Visa’ which allows him five years of residence in the country.
It comes after the former world No. 1 became embroiled in a political row with the Serbian government, having voiced his support for the student protests against President Aleksandar Vucic. Djokovic, who has a net worth of over £180m, is now looking to leave behind his home country for Greece, which is said to be one of his favourite destinations.
Local reports initially claimed the 38-year-old was hoping to buy the Marousi mansion, having already found suitable schools for his two children. But Blic says he only intends to rent the house, having agreed to pay eight rents in advance in order to get a better price.
Dimitris Giannakopoulos formerly owned the property in question (Image: Getty)
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According to Blic, an unnamed friend of Djokovic’s was quoted as saying: “The house is close to the metro station, relatively new, has its own natural gas heating and a parking space. Since he had a lot of difficulty finding an apartment, he agreed to pay the rent in advance.”
Greek media also report that Djokovic is considering investing in sports facilities in Athens. There are suggestions that he is thinking about introducing a new tennis court to the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA) close to the aforementioned property.
Looking ahead to Wimbledon, Djokovic will be eager to win his first Grand Slam in two years, having been knocked out in the semi-finals of the French Open recently by eventual runner-up Jannik Sinner in three sets. But Djokovic will be buoyed by the fact he will now play in SW19, where he has won seven times, with his last victory coming in 2022. He has reached the final on both occasions in the past two years without winning.
