Flag Waving at the Australian Open

Flags of countries are displayed next to the players’ names on the draw cards of major tennis tournaments. There is fervent national pride for the players and flags of nations are commonplace in the grandstands held up with pride by fans. A tennis player becomes a symbol of national success, carrying the hopes and dreams of millions on their shoulders. Whether it’s Novak Djokovic representing Serbia or Jannik Sinner embodying Italian gravitas, their victories ignite celebrations at home.

 

Yet, many of these tennis players no longer reside in their home countries and spend the majority of their lives outside the countries they were born in, living and training in places like tax free Monaco. While the players have moved on to environments chosen for practical and financial reasons, their home fans wave national flags, chant slogans, and bask in the reflected glory of their compatriots' achievements. 

 

Djokovic as well as German Zverev, Russian Medvedev and Italian Sinner have long been residents of Monaco where residents enjoy zero personal income tax, a massive draw for athletes who earn millions in prize money, endorsements, and appearance fees. For someone like Djokovic, who has earned over $175 million in career prize money, the difference in tax liabilities between living in Monaco and Serbia is staggering.

 

For tennis players, their home country becomes a part of their brand, a source of identity that exists independently of their day-to-day lives. Connecting a player to his nationality makes commercial sense as then you would have the following of an entire nation behind the player. Fans would rarely hold it against a player from their home country and their passion and pride outweigh any concerns about the fact that their idol is now a global citizen. 

 

The irony of citizen support for tennis players who live abroad encapsulates the complexities of modern identity and global sports. It reveals the dual realities of professional tennis: a sport where national pride and personal pragmatism coexist uneasily. 

 

Meanwhile at the Australian Open currently being played out at venues full of flags bearing colours of the nationalities of the players on the court, the players continue to put on a show for their countrymen even as they know they are not going back home once the games end.