• Source:PTI
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Novak Djokovic has been named the Best Balkan Athlete of the Year for a record eighth time, surpassing NBA star Nikola Jokic. The 36-year-old Serbian tennis sensation secured this honor after winning three Grand Slam titles in 2023, bringing his total Grand Slam tally to 24. Nikola Jokic, who led the Denver Nuggets to an NBA title and was named the NBA Finals MVP, finished as the runner-up. Both Djokovic and Jokic hail from Serbia.

The annual poll results, conducted by the Bulgarian News Agency, revealed that a total of 58 athletes received votes this year. Alexandar Vezenkov, a Bulgarian basketball player, secured the third position. Greek long jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou and Serbian long jumper Ivana Spanovic, who won the men's and women's world championship titles, respectively, in the previous year, occupied the fourth and fifth positions.

The 50th anniversary edition of the Balkan poll involved national news agencies from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey. Additionally, the vote was expanded to include the Italian news agency ANSA, the Cyprus News Agency, and KosovoPress. Djokovic's recognition as the Best Balkan Athlete of the Year underscores his remarkable achievements in tennis.

 

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