The Serbian sporting world recently mourned the loss of one of its stars, legendary basketball coach Duško Vujošević. In light of this news, Novak Djokovic paid an emotional tribute to Vujošević.
Novak Djokovic’s Tribute to Late Basketball Coach Duško Vujošević
Vujošević began his coaching career in 1976 and had an illustrious journey. He coached Partizan Belgrade, OKK Beograd, the Serbia and Montenegro men’s national basketball team, CSKA Moscow, the Bosnia and Herzegovina men’s national basketball team, and much more.
While at the helm of Partizan Belgrade, Vujošević achieved remarkable success, guiding the club to a record 12 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and five Adriatic League titles, among many other honors. He secured a total of 23 trophies with them, making him the most successful coach in the club’s history.
Vujošević passed away at age 67. He had been battling numerous health issues, including diabetes, which led to the development of gangrene.
This condition necessitated the amputation of the big toe on his left foot in 2017. He also faced kidney problems and underwent a kidney transplant last year.
Vujošević passed away on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Reacting to the news of Vujošević’s passing, Djokovic took to social media to express his gratitude for everything Vujošević contributed to Serbian sport.
“Rest in peace, Duško 🙏 Thank you for everything you gave to Serbian sport 🙌,” Djokovic captioned his Instagram story [translated from Serbian].
Djokovic has participated in two tournaments so far this year: the 2026 Australian Open and the Indian Wells Masters. At the Melbourne Major, the Serb finished as the runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz.
At the Indian Wells Masters, Djokovic, seeded third in the singles event, began his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. He won his first two matches against Kamil Majchrzak and Aleksandar Kovacevic before being eliminated by Jack Draper in the fourth round.
The former world No. 1 was set to compete at the 2026 Miami Open but withdrew from the tournament due to a right shoulder injury. He also pulled out of the 2026 Monte Carlo Masters following the injury, which previously caused him to miss the ATP Masters 1000 hard-court tournament in Florida.
Looking ahead, Djokovic is expected to compete at the 2026 Madrid Open, scheduled from April 21 to May 3, 2026. The tournament matches will take place on the outdoor clay courts at Parque Manzanares in Madrid, Spain.
In addition to the 24-time Grand Slam singles champion, players like Jannik Sinner, Lorenzo Musetti, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Félix Auger-Aliassime, defending champion Casper Ruud, and former champions Carlos Alcaraz, Andrey Rublev, and Alexander Zverev are also expected to participate in the ATP Masters 1000 clay-court tournament.
Djokovic has won the Madrid Open three times: in 2011, 2016, and 2019. He claimed his first title by defeating Rafael Nadal in the final in 2011. In 2016, he won the tournament by overcoming Andy Murray, and in 2019, he triumphed over Stefanos Tsitsipas to secure his third title.
