How tennis’ greatest player Novak Djokovic became world’s most divisive sportsman – from vaccine row to injury boos
NOVAK DJOKOVIC is undoubtedly men’s tennis’ greatest ever player.
Statistically, there can be no doubt.
He’s won the most Major titles (24), Masters titles (40), year-end championships (seven), and has spent a staggering, record-breaking 428 weeks as world No.1.
The Serb has also done incredible philanthropic work off the court, with his foundation having built more than 50 schools, while he was appointed a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador in 2015.
So having given tennis so much on and off the court, why does he continue to be disrespected by so many fans around the world?
Having fought through the pain barrier to beat Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open quarter-finals, Djokovic was forced to retire after losing a gruelling 80-minute first set to Alexander Zverev earlier today.
As he trudged off the court, the 37-year-old was met by boos from members of the Rod Laver Arena crowd. Really?
During his on-court interview, Zverev pleaded with spectators not to boo injured players, while mentioning that Djokovic is the player on tour that he respects most.
This kind of treatment from spectators is nothing new for Djokovic, who notably clashed with the Centre Court crowd at Wimbledon last year during and after his round four tussle with Holger Rune.
So why has Djokovic received this kind of treatment around the world during his incredible career? SunSport takes a closer look at the complex world of the sport’s greatest ever champion.
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MUSCLING IN ON FEDERER AND NADAL
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were the darlings of the ATP Tour for the best part of 20 years.
The likeable, clean-cut duo contested arguably the greatest match of all time in the 2008 Wimbledon final and looked set to continue dominating the sport, having won the last 11 Majors between them going into the 2008 season.
In the following Australian Open, Djokovic upset the apple cart, beating Federer in the semi-finals before triumphing over Nadal’s conqueror Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to claim his first Grand Slam title.
The younger Djokovic was cheeky. He loved performing playful impressions of his peers, which included daring to poke fun at Federer and Nadal.
Federer has even admitted to not giving Djokovic the “respect he deserved” in his younger years.
But soon the class clown would go on to dominate, with both Nadal and Federer finishing with losing records against the Serb.
The crowd-favourite duo at the top of the sport had gained an unwanted third wheel. His biggest crime? Not being them… and managing to beat them.
US OPEN DISQUALIFICATION
Over the years, Djokovic’s relationship with crowds around the world remained somewhat fractious, despite his best efforts.
He would receive particularly outrageous treatment during matches with Federer, with notably rabid crowds at the U.S. Open and Wimbledon doing their absolute best to put him off.
Nevertheless, backed by his loyal band of Serbian supporters, Djokovic continued to try to feel the love from all fans across the globe – even performing a cheesy celebration in which he’d throw up to all four sides of arenas, even if they hadn’t been particularly supportive.
In recent years he has ditched that approach, instead choosing to embrace more of a pantomime villain role – never more apparent than when he memorably ate some of the SW19 grass after overcoming Federer, and a fervent Centre Court, to win the 2019 Wimbledon final.
If Djokovic had begun to grow on some tennis fans, various incidents during the coronavrius pandemic may have set him back somewhat.
In the 2020 U.S. Open, the first Grand Slam since the world shut down, Djokovic was defaulted during the first set of his fourth round clash with Pablo Carreno Busta.
Trailing the Spaniard 5-6, Djokovic batted a ball away in frustration.
In front of a cavernous empty Arthur Ashe Stadium, the innocuous-looking ball struck a line judge in the throat, causing distress to both her and the watching millions around the world.
Djokovic immediately looked horrified by the incident and extended an arm in apology, but the damage was done; both to his tournament prospects, he was subsequently defaulted, and his reputation.
DOOMED ADRIA TOUR
Prior to the 2020 U.S. Open, Djokovic had attempted to bring tennis back to the Balkans with the doomed Adria Tour.
With fans having become accustomed to little or no live sport, the Adria Tour was a shock to the senses.
Despite being played in June 2020, the inaugural Belgrade leg of the Tour saw packed stands watching the action unfold – with no masks or social distancing in sight.
Disaster struck on week two in Croatia, when Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric, Viktor Troicki and even Djokovic himself tested positive for Covid.
The rest of the Adria Tour was subsequently cancelled, with Djokovic receiving pelters for the predictably ill-fated disaster.
VACCINE ROW
Very early on in the 2020 Covid pandemic, Djokovic made his views on mandatory vaccination abundantly clear – he did not believe in them and would not be forced to take one.
He has always been interested in alternative medical practises, and during his career has also tried to avoid surgeries unless absolutely necessary.
In May 2020, Djokovic controversially claimed that polluted water can be purified with prayer and “the power of gratitude”.
He said: “It’s the connection that you’re talking about, the innate connection and really being present and being conscious of the moment and being conscious of the fact you’re drinking water.
“I’ve seen people and I know some people that, through that energetical transformation, through the power of prayer, through the power of gratitude, they manage to turn the most toxic food or most polluted water, into the most healing water.”
Djokovic’s anti-vaccination views came under the microscope in the build-up to the 2022 Australian Open, when the country’s border requirements stated that entrants must have received a vaccination.
Nevertheless, Djokovic announced on January 4 that year that he would be heading Down Under, after receiving “special exemption” from Tennis Australia – with his lawyers claiming he’d be allowed to enter as he’d recently tested positive for Covid.
On January 5 Djokovic was detained by Australia’s border force, subsequently being housed in a detention centre before being deported on January 10.
His initial entry had upset some Australians due to its perceived inconsistency with rules adhered to by the public – namely that several citizens had been stuck abroad due to pandemic rules, and that paying fans could not attend the Australian Open unless vaccinated.
Djokovic has since been back to Australia three times and has seemingly healed his relationship with the country, although he recently claimed that he was “poisoned by lead in his food” while detained three years ago.
TAKING ON CENTRE COURT
Only Federer has surpassed Djokovic’s tally of seven Wimbledon men’s singles titles.
But despite his extraordinary success on the lawns of SW19, the West London masses have never seemed to fully take to one of their greatest-ever champions.
Even with neither Federer or Nadal in last year’s draw, and with an ailing Andy Murray only playing doubles, Djokovic still clashed with the Centre Court crowd.
He provocatively played his racquet like a violin towards the stands after winning matches, although he claimed that this was because his daughter Tara had recently begun learning the instrument.
After his fourth round demolition of Rune, during which fans chanted “Ruuune” for the Dane – Djokovic felt disrespected by the crowd, subsequently having a pop at them during his on-court interview.
He said: “To all those people that have chosen to disrespect play and one player, in this case me, have a GOOOD-night. A GOOOD-night. A very goodnight. They were disrespecting me. I don’t accept it, no, no, no.
“I know they were cheering for Rune but that is also an excuse to boo. Listen, I have been on the Tour for more than 20 years. So trust me, I know all the tricks, I know how it works.”
Djokovic admitted after his defeat to Zverev earlier today that this year could potentially be his last on Tour, depending on how results go.
So with the prospect of a potentially a final Wimbledon on the horizon, do we expect Djokovic to kiss and make up with the SW19 masses this summer? I wouldn’t bet on it…
AUSTRALIAN OPEN RETIREMENT
Following the boos that rained down on Djokovic after today’s retirement against Zverev, Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey felt conflicted.
The top analyst and former player and coach exclusive told SunSport, in association with casino.org: “On one hand, you can’t understand the booing of Djokovic given the success he’s had, and the way he’s carried injuries in this tournament, with the abdominal tear in 2021 and hamstring in 2023, which have been well documented.
“He went into press and admitted that he could have played another set. If you’ve dropped between £500-£1,000 on a ticket and you hear that, then you’re probably feeling that you’d really liked to have watched more tennis.
“Those fans are a little less forgiving of the situation, especially given the unexpected nature of the withdrawal.
“It doesn’t feel great on one end that a great champion could get that reaction, but given his comments afterwards, perhaps on a more micro level, you can see where the fans are coming from who shelled out an awful lot of money.”