wattWhen Novak Djokovic stepped up to the microphone to dissect his performance following his stunning fourth-round win over Holger Ruhn at Wimbledon, it was clear he had something to say. While on-court interviewers may have wanted to maintain a relaxed and positive atmosphere on Center Court, Djokovic was determined to make his displeasure with certain spectators clear. After heaping praise on the many “esteemed” fans in attendance, he didn’t mince words about those who chanted passionately throughout the game.
“I don’t accept that,” he said. “No. I know they cheer Rooney, but that’s also an excuse to boo. Look, I’ve been touring for over 20 years, so trust me, I know all the tricks. I know how it works. It’s okay ,fine.
Throughout his long and storied career, hostile crowds have become a common feature of the Serbian’s matches, sometimes even with his second opponent. He is questioned and insulted, and while the entire crowd cheers for him and his opponents, he must find the strength to win. Despite his brilliance on the court, he faced more negativity than his legendary peers for upending what initially seemed like a two-way great rivalry, ultimately forcing both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to consider him for equality.
This week, though, the cheers from the Center Court crowd were muted. At the 2021 US Open, Djokovic faced the 18-year-old Rooney in the first round. As the game continued and became more intense, the crowd began to chant low, drawn-out “Woo woo woo”, eventually surrounding Arthur Ashe Stadium. The same energy was felt by the crowd at Wimbledon on Monday, as the cheers grew louder, followed by laughter.
A one-sided contest was heading to a predictable conclusion, and the crowd seemed intent on laughing. It may sound irritating, and some fans will certainly root for Rooney against his opponents, but that’s the nature of sport. They still provided a better soundtrack to the match than the many Wimbledon spectators who had lost interest in the tennis on the court and instead focused on popping champagne corks and chatting as scores were scored.
Four years ago, after Michael Jordan’s contribution to the “The Last Dance” documentary largely consisted of his personal take on many of the comments and opinions that weren’t even meant to be a slight to him, Michael Jordan… Jordan memes are making the rounds online. He would constantly use all the positive comments from his teammates and fans as motivation to prove that he was so much better than them all.
Djokovic’s reaction to the chants is perhaps another interesting insight into the mind of a champion who has mastered victory in so many different situations, whether or not he and his players’ box are the only ones in the crowd who actually want him to win. people. Over the course of his career, Djokovic has become adept at using these instances as extra motivation to crush his opponents’ nets. Back at Wimbledon 2019, after coming from match point down to beat Federer in the final in front of a hostile London crowd, Djokovic outlined one of the famous ways he could feed off the energy of those crowds .
“I like to change it up in a way: When the crowd chants ‘Roger,’ I hear ‘Novak’ [smiling]. It sounds silly, but it’s true. I try to convince myself that this is how it is,” Djokovic said.
Crowd behavior at tennis events has been a hot topic in recent months, particularly at Roland Garros, where David Goffin said he faced a barrage of insults after a fan spat gum at him. It was because he faced French opponent Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in Paris. A few days later, Iga Swiatek spent much of an on-court interview following his victory over Naomi Osaka criticizing fans who shouted loudly when scoring.
There are undoubtedly lines that cannot be crossed, and there are many instances where spectators will be abusive or intentionally distract players. But spectator interaction and enjoyment at sporting events can only be a positive thing.
