In his on-court interview, seven-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic went on a tirade about the disrespect he received from Holger Rune during their straight-sets victory. Although it appeared like the audience was rooting for Rune, Djokovic took it as a sign of contempt, feeling he was being booed. The crowd was actually chanting, R-u-u-u-une, which can sound like boos.
Claiming to have played in tumultuous circumstances for over 20 years and to know “all the tricks” partisan crowds pull, he says he focuses more on the respectful fan.
To be fair, the crowd’s attitude toward Djokovic hasn’t always been kind; in fact, Djokovic’s ex-coach, Boris Becker, once said that the star deserved more respect from the public. When he blew kisses at the crowd after beating Cameron Norrie of the United Kingdom in the semi-finals two years ago, the crowd was not shouting “R-u-u-u–u-nr. They were booing him.
While competing in last year’s Wimbledon final against 20-year-old Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz, he played into the anti-Djokovich crowd’s antics.
The tennis great yelled at spectators to “shut the f*** up” in January in response to new regulations that allowed them to roam between matches at the Australian Open.
Djokovic will not have to face a player in Wednesday’s quarterfinal whose surname has a u or a double o in their name. If the crowd sounds like they are booing, they are. He faces Australia’s Alex de Minaur.
The pair are not strangers to one other; they argued during the epidemic about Djokovic’s immunization.
Australian superstar de Minaur was a prominent figure among the tennis world’s most outspoken commenters on Djokovic’s expulsion and subsequent exclusion from the Australian Open.
During a news conference with fellow Australian Jason Kubler, when he found out that Djokovic’s appeal to play without being vaxxed had been unsuccessful and that he was to be deported from Australia. He joked about it.
Perhaps Djokovich will boo de Minaur.
