STARNBERG, March 27, 2020

Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena have pledged €1 million to help buy ventilators and other medical equipment in his native Serbia. The World No. 1 joins a lengthy list of athletes who have started the fight against COVID-19, including several top tennis players.

Rafael Nadal has teamed up with other Spanish sportsmen and the Red Cross Respond project to help supply medical equipment, build hospital infrastructures, as well as helping vulnerable families and creating brand new accommodation. Roger Federer contributed one million Swiss Francs to vulnerable families in his native Switzerland.

My wife @jelenadjokovic and I have donated 1 million euros via @novakfoundation for the purchase of medical equipment to help fight #COVID19 in Serbia. We are in this together.

Here’s our press conference where we share our message: https://t.co/hxA5DIFZDD pic.twitter.com/58O0c9XGRc

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) March 27, 2020

“The fight is not easy, numbers are not pleasant, but I am convinced that we will manage to make it out of this stronger than before,” Djokovic told via Zoom chat, attended by tens of local media outlets and quoted by the Novak Djokovic Foundation.

“It is important to remain united in this fight, to help each other, so we can defeat this virus faster and easier. We would like to use this opportunity to invite everyone else to join us and help numerous families and people who need help to survive and get healthy again.”

Serbia has reported 457 confirmed cases of coronavirus and seven deaths.

“We will keep bringing people together, who are calling me every day, and who want to join in. Not everyone can help, many are hit hard by this situation, but fortunately, there are many people and companies who can help,” Djokovic said. “We will open a special account for this emergency situation, like we did the last time when we were hit by the floods. [The] Novak Djokovic Foundation team is working like a well-oiled machine and we are ready to help.”