Novak Djokovic has openly expressed his disappointment with the lack of backing from the crowd at Wimbledon 2023 during his early matches. Despite securing victories against Pedro Cachin and Jordan Thompson in straight sets, Djokovic felt unsettled by the chants from the spectators in support of his opponents.
The Serbian tennis star is well accustomed to not always being the crowd favorite despite his outstanding skill set. What’s curious in his case is that not being the preferred option of the fans doesn’t only happen with beloved figures like Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, but with multiple other players.
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Djokovic admitted that he still finds it difficult to accept that he is not always the favored player on the court. This was particularly visible at the end of his match against Thompson, where he stared intensely into the crowd after the win in a display of his frustration. However, he emphasized that the opposition actually benefits him.
Novak Djokovic’s resounding attack against Wimbledon 2023 critics
Novak Djokovic is on the hunt for more history at Wimbledon 2023. This time around, he’s got a showdown with Stan Wawrinka in the third round, where the crowd might be split on who to cheer for. If that’s the case, he is going to use it as extra motivation.
“They’re actually doing me a favor. The more they cheer against me, the better off I am. They wake up to something they might not want to see – a winner. As a player you want to have the majority of the crowd on your side, I don’t want to play in a belligerent atmosphere. However, that’s how it is in most matches in my career”, Djokovic said according to Sasa Ozmo of Sportklub.
Djokovic then expanded his thoughts around the interaction with fans: “It was determined by fate and that’s okay, sometimes it’s harder for me to accept it, sometimes I don’t understand the audience and the behavior, but they have the right. Someone be a little more daring, and allow themselves to do something more from the stands, but then they have to expect my reaction. This has happened in the past, at major tournaments all over the world. It gives me fuel and additional motivation, it inspires me to play even better”.
