Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia wants Novak Djokovic’s father banned from the Australian Open for posing with supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin outside Melbourne Park.

A group of fans, including a man holding a Russian flag with Mr Putin’s face on it, gathered on stairs outside the grand slam complex on Wednesday.

Srdjan Djokovic was filmed with the pro-Russian spectators in a video uploaded to YouTube by pro-Russian online commentator Simeon Boikov, better known by his social media moniker Aussie Cossack. As he leaves the group, Mr Djokovic can be heard saying in Serbian: “Long live the Russians.”

There are also reports that Mr Djokovic posed with a Russian nationalist holding a flag with Mr Putin’s face and wearing a controversial Z T-shirt.

Neither Mr Djokovic nor his son have commented publicly on the incident.

It came after Tennis Australia banned spectators from carrying and displaying Russian and Belarusian banners in Melbourne Park on the second day of the tournament.

Ukraine’s Australian ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko said Tennis Australia should ban Mr Djokovic for “such a disgrace”.

“It’s up to Tennis Australia to take action,” he told News Corp.

“I think it would be a very good idea not to let him in,” Mr Myroshnychenko said.

“I don’t know why he would say something like that considering what the Russians are doing in Ukraine, how many people they have killed, tortured, raped and all the summary executions that have happened against civilians.”

Djokovic – the favourite to win the Melbourne grand slam – plays American Tommy Paul in a semi-final on Friday night. He is likely to face questions from the media about his father’s actions after that match.

In Victoria on Friday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was asked if Mr Djokovic should be deported for his controversial act. He did not answer directly, saying only:

“Australia stands with the people of Ukraine. That is Australia’s position and Australia is unequivocal in our support for the rule of international law,” he said.

“We do not want to see any support given to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that is having a devastating impact on the people of Ukraine.”

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Victorian opposition sports spokesman Sam Groth have condemned Mr Djokovic’s actions.

“The Russian onslaught continues, and frankly everybody of goodwill should be trying to deter, not encourage Putin,” Mr Duton told the Nine Network on Friday.

“It’s a bizarre act – sometimes you see these [things] from tennis parents and others over the years, but it’s an issue for Tennis Australia.”

Mr Groth, a former professional tennis player, said it was “unacceptable”.

“Acts of incitement have no place in our state and no place at our major events,” he said.

“The Australian Open must be a welcoming, safe and inclusive event for all, not an opportunity to express a harmful and offensive agenda or deliberately intimidate others.”

Tennis Australia issued a statement on Thursday that didn’t directly address Mr Djokovic’s actions.

“A small group of people displayed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards following a match on Wednesday night and were evicted,” it read.

“One patron is now assisting police with unrelated matters.

“Players and their teams have been briefed and reminded of the event policy regarding flags and symbols and to avoid any situation that has the potential to disrupt.

“We continue to work closely with event security and law enforcement agencies.”

Past and present Russian flags, the Russian Eagle flag, Belarusian flags and items of clothing with the Z symbol are prohibited items at Melbourne Park.

TA had initially permitted spectators to bring Russian and Belarusian banners to Melbourne Park, as long as they did not cause disruption, but the policy was quickly reversed.

That rule has been flouted on multiple occasions but Wednesday night’s incident was clearly the most blatant.

Russian and Belarusian players, including Rublev, fellow Russian Karen Khachanov and Belarusian women’s semi-finalists Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka, were allowed to compete in Melbourne but must do so under a neutral banner.

-with AAP