Everything started so well with Novak Djokovic (34). At the US Open 2007, he parodied Rafael Nadal (35), who was constantly tugging at his clothes and ears, and the moaning Maria Sharapova (34) on the court. The spectators burst out laughing and gave a special round of applause for several minutes. Not only did a good tennis player enter the stage, but also a comedian who brought a breath of fresh air to the otherwise so serious scene.
But the mood quickly changed. A year later at the same place, the Serb showed his true colors. Consumed by ambition, argumentative, easily offended. During the course of the tournament, he fought a small war with local hero Andy Roddick (39). He accused Djokovic of faking injuries. The Serb countered after his quarter-final win over Roddick by demonstratively celebrating and then teasing the American and the crowd. He accused both of them not being fair. From then on, Djokovic was considered an unsympathetic guy and diva who demands something that should actually come by itself.
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DFB star cook reveals
Bayern flirt Raphinha is so good
Source: IMAGE
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Even his parodies, which Djokovic repeated over and over again in the years that followed, were no longer so well received and were interpreted as arrogance. “I think this is not a show, it’s sport,” said Rafael Nadal in 2008. “Everyone can do what they want. But my opinion is: tennis is the show, not the imitation of other players. People want to see tennis, nothing else.”
Former world number two Tommy Haas (43) played with Djokovic for a long time. “We players always had the highest respect for Novak because he subordinated everything to his success,” he says. “But Novak suffers a bit from Roger Federer syndrome. Roger is just a phenomenal, horny guy and everyone’s darling. You can’t counter that. Novak remains the role of the opponent. It’s a bit like Lendl used to be. That was also Ivan the Terrible.”
The better Djokovic got, the more tennis fans sided with his opponents. In the epic 2019 Wimbledon final against Federer (40), they even cheered after Djokovic made double faults – an absolute no-go in tennis. The Serb made the mistake of waving provocatively at the audience and goading it on. So he pushed himself and won the final after almost five hours in five sets – but that’s how he lost more sympathy points.
He longs so much for recognition. “Novak is bothered that his heart doesn’t fly to him like Roger, for example,” says Boris Becker (54) in the Eurosport podcast “Das Gelbe vom Ball”. “I also think it’s kind of normal that when you’ve been world class for so long, you don’t just want to be respected, you also want to be loved. It’s not even that much up to him. He’s number one, the world’s best, and the outsider is then supported. Novak sees it almost as disrespect that you are not for him.
Djokovic misses the recognition he thinks he deserves. Niki Pilic (82) sees it that way, too, at whose Munich tennis academy Djokovic came at the age of 13 and stayed there for four and a half years. In 2010 they won the Davis Cup together for Serbia. “Novak feels unfairly treated,” says Pilic. “He doesn’t get the respect he deserves. That hurts him.” The country of origin also plays a role. Pilic: “The western world wants a tennis hero from America, England, France or Germany – but now there is one from the small country of Serbia.”
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Mega breakdown at the Africa Cup
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Source: Sport Digital
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At the US Open 2020, Djokovic accidentally shot a linesman and was eliminated from the tournament. “I don’t think Roger Federer would have been disqualified for the same incident,” says Pilic. “It gnaws at Novak that he is not the darling of the crowds, but Federer and Nadal. And when he’s applauded after double faults, it hurts him a lot.”
But the ambition is unbroken. This is already illustrated by his piercing, almost diabolical look during the matches. “Novak drives the goal of being the only player in the world to win 21 Grand Slam tournaments,” says Pilic. “Before that, he will not give up voluntarily. And when he gets whistled at, it only turns him on even more.”
Djokovic, the tennis machine. Tears like those of Federer and Nadal after historic victories were rarely seen with him. Only after his clear three-set defeat in the final of the US Open 2021 against Daniil Medvedev (25 / Russia) did he show emotions and cry. “Of course part of me is very sad. This loss is hard to stomach considering what was at stake,” he said. “But the support, energy and love I received from the viewers will never be forgotten in my life. That was just wonderful. Even if I didn’t win the match, I’m the happiest person in the world, you touched my soul. I love you, New York.”
But he lost his sympathy long ago. Many are also suspicious of his spirituality. Djokovic believes in telepathy (transmission of thoughts) and telekinesis (moving objects through the power of thought) and indulges in ideas from dubious gurus. Djokovic spreads the belief that you can clean toxic water with mental strength alone and then drink it. Scientists clapped their hands over their heads, doctors warned of damage to health. Being dependent on the guru also led to the separation from coaches Boris Becker and Andre Agassi (51).
In the pandemic, Djokovic became all the more the bogeyman. First he celebrated exuberantly with his colleagues in a club on the 2020 Adria tour he organized, dancing shirtless – as if nothing was wrong. After several infections, including from Djokovic himself, the tour had to be canceled. Then in 2021 he kept his vaccination status a secret for months and applied for an exemption to start at the Australian Open. Not a good tactic in times when solidarity in dealing with the risk of infection is being promoted around the world.
And now the drama about his entry into Australia. Djokovic is certain of one thing when he returns to the tennis court: a piercing concert of whistles.
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