Princess Charlene, Novak Djokovic and Prince Albert II
Princess Charlene, Novak Djokovic and Prince Albert II

Home » The Prince, The Princess and the Tennis Player

The Prince, The Princess and the Tennis Player

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco presented Novak Đoković with the Vermillion Medal for Physical Education and Sports in the Mediterranean principality today. They were joined by the Prince’s South African wife, Princess Charlene. The awarding of this medal was established in 1939 to honour those who achieve outstanding performance in a continuous and exemplary […]

Princess Charlene, Novak Djokovic and Prince Albert II
Princess Charlene, Novak Djokovic and Prince Albert II

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco presented Novak Đoković with the Vermillion Medal for Physical Education and Sports in the Mediterranean principality today. They were joined by the Prince’s South African wife, Princess Charlene.

Princess Charlene, Novak Djokovic and Prince Albert II
Princess Charlene, Novak Djokovic and Prince Albert II. Pic Source: Prince’s Palace of Monaco

The awarding of this medal was established in 1939 to honour those who achieve outstanding performance in a continuous and exemplary practice, contributing to the development of physical education and sports in the small, but elite, Mediterranean principality.

Although Djokovic – who’s currently the world’s top ranked tennis player – is Serbian, he trains and lives in Monaco.

This week he’ll be playing in the second round of the clay-court Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters which is the third ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament of the year.

HSH Prince Albert II will give the Vermeil Medal for Physical Education and Sport to Novak Djokovic
Novak, his girlfriend Jelena Ristic, Princess Charlene and HSH Prince Albert II who awarded the Vermeil Medal for Physical Education and Sport to Novak Djokovic. Pic Source: Palace of Monaco

He’ll certainly be hoping to beat reigning champ Rafael Nadal. The 25-year-old Spaniard has won the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters for the last seven years in a row, and has already announced today that “it is a pleasure to be back at one of the best clubs in the world.”

This year’s competition includes 14 of the Top 20 players in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, including seven of the Top 10, and four of the Top Five – Djokovic, Nadal, Andy Murray from Great Britain and Jo-Wilfriend Tsonga of France.

Twenty-five year old Kevin Anderson, who’s currently ranked 32nd, will be the only South African competing in the Tournament. [Update 17 April 2012: unfortunately Anderson was beaten by Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-4.]

The Tournament runs from 16-22 April.