There may be no ‘official’ connection, but it’s impossible not to side-eye the sudden decision by the Serbian government to axe Rio Tinto’s lithium mine days after Australia deported their much-beloved tennis champion.

Serbia is a proud nation and they take offence very seriously. The disaster that was Scott Morrison’s handling of the Novak situation, coupled with Alex Hawke’s little foray into ideological despotism, left the political leadership of Serbia fuming.