Does Novak Djokovic Support Israel?

David Svetsky Feb 27, 2025 4 min read

Short answer: As of July 2026, Novak Djokovic has warm, decades-long ties to Israel through friendships, business investments, and tournament play, but he has never made an explicit political statement backing Israel in the war with Hamas. He treats Israel as what he has called a "second home," yet he deliberately keeps sport and politics separate, which drew public criticism from a former Israeli star for staying silent after October 7. So the accurate read is friendly and closely connected on a personal level, but publicly neutral on the conflict, not an outspoken supporter and not a critic or boycotter.

What Novak Djokovic has actually said and done

2006: Djokovic played against Israel in a Davis Cup tie in Ramat Hasharon, his first competitive appearances in the country and the beginning of a long relationship with Israeli tennis, as the Times of Israel later recounted.
May 2014: He joined investor Bill Ackman and Billie Jean King as an early backer of PlaySight Interactive, a sports-analytics startup based in Kfar Saba, Israel, in a $3.5 million funding round (the company's Series B), one of his first business ties to the country, per Globes (also reported by Algemeiner).
September 27, 2022: Arriving for the Tel Aviv Watergen Open, Djokovic wrote "Shalom Israel. I am very happy and excited to be back in Israel" in the guest book at Ben Gurion Airport, as the Times of Israel reported.
September 2022: Israeli veteran Jonathan Erlich was scheduled to play his farewell doubles match alongside Djokovic, but was forced to withdraw just minutes before the pair were due on court after suffering severe back spasms ("The pain was so huge that I could barely walk," he said), so the two never actually played the doubles together. Ahead of the event Djokovic had recorded an affectionate video greeting Erlich in Hebrew as "Yoni" and "brother," according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
October 2, 2022: Djokovic went on to win the Tel Aviv Open singles title, the richest tennis event ever held in Israel, beating Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-4 in the final for the 89th tour title of his career, as the Times of Israel reported.
October 2022: In an interview with i24NEWS, Djokovic defended his decision to play in Israel and spoke positively about the welcome he received, while making clear that he tries to keep sport and politics separate.
October 2023: After the October 7 Hamas attack, former Israeli Grand Slam champion Andy Ram publicly criticized Djokovic for staying silent, saying that given his ties to Israel he "should be a little bit sensitive to the situation." Djokovic did not issue a public statement on the war. The criticism was reported by Sportskeeda and Tennis Up To Date.

Is Novak Djokovic Jewish, and where does his Israel connection come from?

Djokovic is not Jewish and has no Jewish-identity connection. He is a practicing Serbian Orthodox Christian who has spoken about the meaning of visiting holy sites, so his link to Israel is relational and commercial rather than religious or political. Israeli media reporting documents an unusually Israeli inner circle: his lifelong friend and Israeli tennis legend Jonathan (Yoni) Erlich, his 2010 Queen's Club doubles partner, whom he calls a "brother"; his former agent Amit Naor, who signed him at 16 and represented him until 2012; and business ties that include the Israeli startup PlaySight. His Tel Aviv tournament appearances were backed by the event's sponsor, Watergen owner Michael Mirilashvili. On the conflict itself, he has repeatedly signaled that he keeps politics and sport separate, which is exactly why Israeli figures like Andy Ram wished he would say more. The "boycott" question runs the other way for Djokovic: far from shunning Israel, he chose to compete and invest there, so the real question around his name is whether he is a vocal ally, not whether he avoids the country.

The bottom line

Djokovic is genuinely close to Israel on a personal and business level: friendships, investments, tournament play, and calling the country a "second home." He has never boycotted or criticized Israel. But he has consistently declined to make an explicit political statement of support during the war, a silence that even prompted public criticism from a former Israeli champion. The fair way to present him is as a warm, connected friend of Israel who stays publicly neutral on the conflict, not as an outspoken advocate and not as an opponent.

Wear your own answer

Djokovic keeps his feelings about Israel personal and largely off the record. You do not have to. If his careful silence leaves you wanting something clearer, you can say it yourself: our I Stand With Israel bracelet is a quiet, everyday way to show the support that some public figures choose to hold back. Every piece we make is designed to help you stand with Israel out loud, on your own terms.

Last updated July 2026. We update these profiles as the record changes.