Tennis legend Novak Djokovic is quite possibly the most famous Serbian in the world. However, it is the principality of Monaco that he calls his home, instead of Serbia. The renowned country boasts beautiful weather throughout the year, along with some of the best facilities in the world.
But the weather is not the only reason athletes choose to settle down in the country. Monaco is a tax haven for the rich. The principality does not levy taxes on capital gains or investments, thereby making it an ideal place for some of the richest people on this planet.
Besides tennis, Monaco is popular among cyclists and Formula 1 drivers like Max Verstappen, and Charles Leclerc. Billionaire Farhad Moshiri, the owner of the Premier League soccer team Everton FC, also resides there.
With such advantages, it is not hard to see why players settle down in Monaco, instead of their own countries. We take a look at some of the tennis players who have settled in the Principality over the years.
Novak Djokovic
The 23-time Grand Slam champion is undoubtedly one of the best tennis players of all time. Although he hails from Serbia, Novak settled in Monaco in 2000.
Djokovic is the ambassador of the Princess Charlene Foundation, based in Monaco. The Foundation promotes the education of children through sports.
Djokovic is one of the richest athletes of all time. In his career, which has spanned over two decades, Djokovic has amassed a huge wealth. Back in 2019, Novak made the Forbes list of the richest athletes in the world, where he was ranked 17 at the time. In tennis, Djokovic was ranked number one, earning $38.4 million over the last 12 months.
Daniil Medvedev
The temperamental Russian player is best known for winning the US Open in 2021, by defeating Djokovic. Like the Serb, Medvedev too settled down in Monaco, instead of his country Russia.
Amazing day with @F1 in Monaco! pic.twitter.com/zUTYCg0Kyr
— Daniil Medvedev (@DaniilMedwed) May 23, 2021
Medvedev settled in the principality, as he did not find support from the Russian tennis federation. A self-proclaimed ‘hard court specialist’ Medvedev is currently playing at the US Open. He will take on Carlos Alcaraz for a spot in the final.
Petra Kvitova
The two-time Grand Slam champion is also a resident of Monaco. However, the events that led up to her settling in the country, were controversial.
Monaco evenings are the best kind of evenings 😍 pic.twitter.com/WSdrI2jkiK
— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) July 14, 2017
Since winning her second major title at Wimbledon, Social Democrat MP Stanislav Hum accused Petra of not paying her taxes. He went a step further and stated that the player should be stripped of her Czech citizenship. She moved to the principality soon after.
Caroline Wozniacki
Danish player Caroline Wozniacki has been amazing since returning to tennis after a 3-year hiatus. Like her good friend Petra, Caroline too has settled in the country of Monaco.
Family outing❤️👨👩👧 #monaco pic.twitter.com/HJvPR3aDpk
— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) July 27, 2021
The former world number one had retired from tennis to grow her family. Three years on, Wozniacki picked up from where she had left off on the tennis court.
Besides these players, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune, and Alexander Zverev are a few others, who have become residents in Monaco. Monaco’s tax policies mean that athletes can save up to millions at a time.
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