Novak Djokovic’s father Srdjan mentioned earlier on Friday he wouldn’t attend his son’s semi-final towards Tommy Paul after a video emerged exhibiting him posing at Melbourne Park with followers holding Russian flags.

Earlier this week, police questioned 4 followers after Djokovic’s quarter-final win over Andrey Rublev after a video on social media confirmed a fan holding up a Russian flag with the picture of President Vladimir Putin on it.

Russian and Belarusian flags are banned from Melbourne Park through the Australian Open after a criticism from the Ukraine ambassador to the nation final week. Belarus is a key staging floor for Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, which Moscow phrases a “special operation”.

“It hurts a lot because there were specific rules, they were printed out outside that this is not allowed to bring flags,” Kostyuk informed reporters after bowing out of the ladies’s doubles competitors with Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

“It’s not unimaginable, however you’re not allowed to carry out the flags and so forth. It actually hurts that they have been there for fairly a while.

“They were there on the court, in the stands as well and I just don’t understand as well. It really hurts and I don’t understand how this can be possible.”

Djokovic will proceed his bid for a record-extending tenth Australian Open title and twenty second Grand Slam crown to match Rafa Nadal when he takes on unseeded American Paul afterward Friday.