July 14th 2024.
During his recent match against Lorenzo Musetti at Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic found himself in a familiar situation - being the target of boos and jeers from the crowd. It seems that Djokovic has become somewhat of a villain at this year's Championships, with some fans feeling that he has disrespected them in the past.
In his previous matches, Djokovic had shushed the Centre Court crowd and was booed during his victory over Holger Rune. In a post-match interview, he expressed his frustration at feeling disrespected by the fans. And now, even after his win over Musetti, some spectators still felt the need to boo him.
But despite the backlash from the crowd, Djokovic did not let it affect his performance. In fact, during his match against Musetti, he went out of his way to try and win over the British fans. After a particularly impressive volley that won him a 26-shot rally, Djokovic threw his arms out to demand applause from the crowd. His team in the players' box also stood up to show their support.
Even former British No.1 Greg Rusedski, who was commentating for the BBC, noticed Djokovic's efforts to win back the crowd's support. "Novak Djokovic gets his arms up to the crowd, he wants the appreciation," Rusedski said.
But despite his attempts, Djokovic still faced some resistance from the crowd. During the third set, one fan called out during his serve, causing the umpire to reprimand the crowd. Djokovic, who was visibly annoyed, glared at the fan and shook his head.
And yet, after his victory, Djokovic's celebration was met with more boos from the crowd. He had decided to play his racket like a violin, which some fans interpreted as him goading them. But commentators John McEnroe, Nick Kyrgios, and Andrew Castle could not understand the hostility towards Djokovic. "Why are people booing?" McEnroe questioned. "I have no idea," Kyrgios added.
The commentators even discussed the possibility of Djokovic making fun of the crowd with his celebration, but ultimately agreed that it was not his intention. "Even if he was [making fun of them], he would deserve [to do it]," McEnroe concluded. It seems that no matter how hard Djokovic tries, he will always face some resistance from the Wimbledon crowd.
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