Novak Djokovic takes his place as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, but he’s someone fans love to hate.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion is currently stranded in quarantine in Melbourne and is at risk of missing the Australian Open amid a row over his COVID-19 exempt status.
Djokovic is a nine-time Australian Open winner but might not be able to defend his crown
As his father claims authorities are trying to embarrass the 34-year-old and some die-hard Novak fans protest, that sentiment is not shared by the rest of the world.
In fact, his problems trying to enter Australia were greeted with joy by many fans.
And that sums up the sentiment that has haunted Djokovic throughout his career, especially lately.
He is currently tied with career rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in 20 Grand Slam tournaments and will likely finish ahead of them.
– Djokovic announced earlier this week that he has a medical exemption to play at the Australian Open
Federer and Nadal are received with adulation everywhere they go, but the same cannot be said of Djokovic even though he can claim to be the greatest male player of all time.
His issues in Australia are just the tip of the iceberg for reasons fans don’t like him too much and talkSPORT.com has reviewed some of the highlights.
Position anti-vaxx
The past two years have been difficult for everyone across the world, from the loss of loved ones to spending weeks and months in lockdown at a time.
Djokovic is a well-known skeptic of vaccines and has spoken publicly about his opposition to them.
“Personally, I am opposed to vaccination and I would not want to be forced by someone to be vaccinated in order to be able to travel,” Djokovic said in April 2020.
“But if it becomes mandatory, what will happen?” I’ll have to make a decision. I have my own thoughts on the matter and if those thoughts will change at some point, I don’t know.
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– Djokovic has won Wimbledon six times, but he never gets fan adulation
He has refused to disclose his vaccine status and his chances of playing at the Australian Open have been uncertain for some time.
Djokovic managed to get an exemption from the vaccine to participate in the tournament, which sparked widespread anger in the country.
Perhaps this is why some fans take great pleasure in his struggles to enter the country now.
Then there’s also the controversial Adria Tour in June 2020 at the height of the pandemic, which had no masks or social distancing and full crowds.
No one was surprised when it finally ended early when a number of players, including Djokovic, contracted coronavirus.
His positions on COVID-19 have even led to the conviction of his professional colleagues, Nick Kyrgios calling him a “tool” after making a list of demands upon his arrival in Melbourne in 2021 for the Australian Open.
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– Djokovic is currently stranded in Australia and awaits an appeal for his deportation
Hue at the Grand Slam
Rather than being quietly annoyed that Djokovic has won so much, fans often express their dislike for the Serbian.
There are too many examples to name, but a memorable one was Wimbledon’s famous final victory over Roger Federer in 2019.
The reaction he received from the crowd was strong, vocally encouraging when he made mistakes and lost points.
He told reporters that when the crowd chanted “Roger!” Roger, ”he said, hearing“ Novak ”.
“It sounds silly, but that’s how it is. I try to convince myself that it is like that.
Djokovic has been far from popular at the Australian Open and US Open, being regularly taunted by crowds.
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– Unlike Djokovic, Nadal and Federer and loved by tennis fans
And why is that? There are several possible reasons for this.
He broke the Federer / Nadal monopoly, two players who are the most popular of their generation and many may not have forgiven him.
His perceived arrogance on the pitch, arguing with referees and linesmen as well as breaking many rackets.
Djokovic is known for employing slightly underhanded tactics in order to get his opponents out of their game. Use timeouts and bathroom breaks to his advantage.
Disqualification de l’US Open
The world number one faced Pablo Carreno Busta in the 2021 US Open fourth round at an empty Arthur Ashe stadium and gave up his serve to lead 6-5 in the first set.
Frustrated at losing a game, Djokovic pulled a ball out of his pocket and slammed it down the field – unintentionally hitting a linesman in the face.
He immediately went to see her, but after a long discussion between tournament officials and the Serbian, he was disqualified.
Despite Djokovic’s protests, he got his rackets back and left the tournament when he probably had a good chance of winning.
“This whole situation left me really sad and empty,” he wrote after the event on Instagram.
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– Djokovic has been disqualified from the 2020 US Open
Racket smasher
Djokovic will always be compared to Federer and Nadal and his tendency to break his racquet often lets him down.
Federer was known to be a racket breaker early in his career, but managed to get that out of his game.
Nadal is still the professional on the pitch and his uncle Toni would never have let him get away with it.
The Serbian continues to let his emotions get the better of him, just last year he destroyed his racquet in the final of the US Open, Davis Cup and the Olympics.
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– Djokovic took out his frustrations on his racquet in the US Open final
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