Novak Djokovic attended Thursday’s EuroLeague matchup between Olympiacos BC and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, sharing his impressions during an in-game interview at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.
The Serbian tennis player addressed the crowd atmosphere while the contest was ongoing, highlighting the uncommon relationship between the two fan bases.
“Well, friends which we could see. I mean, the fans are singing the entire game,” Djokovic said. “I never watched Olympiacos-Red Star live. My first time.”
He explained that the level of support inside the arena stood out even compared to other high-level sporting events.
“I knew that I was expecting something like this, but in terms of cheering and supporting your teams, it exceeded my expectations,” he said. “The fans are equally supporting both teams.”
Djokovic added that such a shared environment is unusual across professional competitions.
“You know, it’s very rare in any sport, to be honest. So it’s great pleasure to be here,” he said during the broadcast.
On the court, Olympiacos controlled key stretches through ball movement and half-court execution. Sasha Vezenkov led the scoring with 23 points, including a strong third quarter that shifted momentum. The hosts generated open looks by forcing defensive rotations, finishing with 23 assists.
Thomas Walkup organized the offense late and recorded 10 assists, slowing the tempo when Crvena Zvezda attempted to speed up possessions. Evan Fournier added 18 points, with most of his production coming in the second quarter to stabilize the rotation unit.
The Belgrade side stayed competitive through rebounding and defensive pressure. They held a 38–32 advantage on the glass and forced 14 turnovers, which created transition opportunities. Jordan Nwora scored 21 points to lead the visitors, while Jared Butler contributed 15 points as the game remained within reach until the final minutes.
During the same in-game appearance, Djokovic also discussed postseason hopes for both teams.
“Yeah, let’s hope [both team reach Final Four],” he said. “I mean, Olympiacos has a better chance, I think, but Red Star… I’m obviously a big fan of Red Star, so we are hoping this is the year.”
Olympiacos secured a 92–86 win, ending a seven-game losing streak against the Serbian club and strengthening its position near the top of the EuroLeague standings at 18–9. Crvena Zvezda dropped to 16–12 but remained in the playoff race with several rounds left in the regular season.
