It's a pity that the decorations for this year's winners, knights of peace as they should be who are shown such an honor by the nation and the state, were already forged, so the laureates, like various Brajovics or Banjevics, could not be changed at the last minute. And it's not that there were no reasons.
On Sunday, Novak Djokovic, a descendant of the Montenegrin heroes from Krus and Carevo Laz, born in Jasenovo Polje, the knight of the modern era won another Grand Slam - Wimbledon. Sixth in order, twentieth overall. But nothing. Not even a telegram from the president, let alone an order.
After all, we know - even if there had been more time and there had been no shortage of days for the awarding of state awards, it is hard to imagine that President Đukanović would have included one of the heroes of today's Montenegro in that order of knighthood, instead of his courtiers and tomboys. He simply doesn't know any other way.
I don't remember watching a live broadcast of any Novak Djokovic Grand Slam final after 2011, the first Wimbledon won, because even then you could recognize the coming miracle. A champion in the most demanding of individual sports who hails from a region where individuality of any kind is always punished and subordinated to the collective. Half-wits and cowards were always valued here in real life, while heroes could only be read about in history textbooks and heard from stories and legends.
Me again about the president and awards. But I won't anymore.
Therefore, everything after that third title was too demanding for my nerves and too expensive a waste of life. Especially when I realized that Djokovic wins just as much in speeches after matches as on the court itself. So I decided to make a compromise - miss every live broadcast of the final, but then listen directly to every speech he makes after winning or losing the title. To understand why it is special and one of the greatest.
It was the same this time.
When I received the notification of Vijesti - Gigant, I realized that the gladiator had conquered London again and that I had to go back to the screen and listen to what he had to say to us.
"Winning Wimbledon has always been my biggest dream since I was little, to remind myself how special it is. I take nothing for granted, I am aware that this is a great honor and privilege. At the age of seven, I improvised a trophy in Serbia from the materials I had, and now I stand here with six trophies and it's incredible".
What a knight. He takes nothing for granted and is aware that this is a great honor and privilege, which means that Novak Djokovic came to the world throne because for more than two decades he has succeeded in the most difficult battle - to defeat himself. Nothing is given and everything is transitory, hence everything should be respected, both defeats and victories, because both equally make you better, raise you to a higher level, conscious and not physical, where in fact you conclude that you should always be grateful for what you have achieved. Because what is reflected in those 20 trophies, which are not made of cardboard but of precious metals, is an expression of understanding of the world and order where only the mind sets and moves the boundaries. Well done master, la vita è bella.
At Wimbledon, there was another Montenegrin hero of the modern age who, as a child, in his village Radomir, Rijeka Nahija, together with his uncle Gajo, after whom he was named, dreamed that one day he too would conquer the world's metropolises, such as one of Tito's youngest generals were liberated by Trieste and Belgrade... He made a small Gayo Shanghai, Beijing, Moscow, London, Rome, Madrid, Rio out of cardboard or similar material that he could then find in his Bar and his village, so that today it stands in an honorary the boxes of Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Flushing Meadows... with princes, kings, prime ministers and the rich. La vita è bella, dottore.
You start from nowhere, like this highway of ours, but unlike it, you reach the roof of the world. In fact, it is a legend of the modern age related to the path followed by Novak and Gayo. Misunderstood by the environment they came from, without anyone's support except those closest to them, all with a smile and charm. It seems like an impossible mission, when in fact it is "only" about defeating yourself.
"I don't take anything for granted, I am aware that this is a great honor and privilege". La vita è bella, Novace.
"Nothing is impossible, only intelligence and kindness are important"... That was Gaya's motto. La vita è bella, dottore.
Bonus video:
