An English journalist wrote an extensive text about why the audience at Wimbledon does not like Novak Djokovic.
Source: Profimedia
The English portal “Daily Mail” published an article in which it analyzed in detail what is more obvious than ever this summer – that the audience at Wimbledon simply he doesn’t like Novak Djokovic. Regardless of the fact that he is a seven-time champion and that he is one win away from a record eighth cup of the most prestigious Grand Slam trophy, as much as the crowd’s favorite Roger Federer has won, the Serbian and the Swiss cannot be compared on any basis when it comes to the affection of the spectators .
While Novak is criticized for everything and while the majority in London practically all the time cheers for his opponents, even the hated Russians there, it really has long since become unbelievable that Djokovic can’t even be nice to them and that for him he is often absent even minimally respect. Let alone what the greatest tennis player of all time deserves. Read what Riyat Al Samaraj wrote about it for the Daily Mail.
“Love moves in mysterious directions, and is there a greater mystery in sports than how love always bypasses Novak Djokovic? It flies over his head, passes by him, circles, falls… The man with the racket can catch everything, but he just can’t to capture the hearts (of the fans). And it is a strange phenomenon, because love is everywhere in tennis. In every game and in every set, everything starts with love. But Djokovic rarely ends with it and it seems that it is too difficult for the audience to love him , and especially to the one that gathers around Wimbledon’s Center Court. Love is something he gives there, but he doesn’t get it.”
“What Djokovic has is respect and that’s different, of course. He may have more respect than anyone in the history of sports and that’s how it should be, if we start from the fact that respect can be earned. But who could have earned it more than Djokovic? From 2008, when he won his first Australian Open, to now, 15 years later, he has won a total of 23 Grand Slams. That brings us to this weekend and the possibility of him earning even more. First of all, to earn more more historic achievements, because if he beats Carlos Alcaraz, he will tie Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles. And Roger is important to this conversation, because of the story of love, which we will return to.”
“Djokovic could match Margaret Court with 24 Grand Slam titles, too, because he’s already passed the point where his trophies are only measured against men. He’s that big, and when we stick to the narrative of greatness, then there’s no discussion – he is the most effective male tennis player we know and by the end of the US Open in September, he’ll probably be more effective than anyone. He’s done so much in this ‘great’ era more than any other, that if you don’t respect that, then you don’t respect the sport.”
And then the author made a point with what everyone notices.
“Still, what about love? Because love doesn’t wait where we make a balanced equation with the number of Grand Slams won and the number of victories against all rivals, right up to Federer or Rafael Nadal – including those two, too. He was better than both of them in this game – he showed it in the matches in which they met at the overlapping peaks of their careers. Still, they were loved more. And far more. Then and now.
“You could feel it on Tuesday when Roger Federer paraded into the royal box. He got more applause and cheers in his cream suit than Novak got for anything he did that night. He certainly got more applause than Novak in the semi-finals against Janik Siner on Friday, which was certainly a very strange day.More than a few fans pelted Novak during the match, especially after he was deducted a point for ‘obstruction’. It’s the difference between love and respect – this place doesn’t cast aspersions on the people it loves. It can happen occasionally, as Nadal got a bit of a ‘tingle’ when he needed an eternity between points against Nico Kyrgios a few years ago. But Djokovic? That’s a whole other level. He was booed against Cam Nori here in 2022, then against Jordon Thompson this year, as well as against Alejandro Davidovic Fokina and Alcaraz at Roland Garros. They were disgruntled individuals, certainly not the entire audience, but they were still large groups”.
“And that’s why there is a pattern and it’s a paradox, because for whatever reason, the quality is not enough for Djokovic. In the match against Siner and in every point he made, he shows why he is a sports miracle. He hit excellent shots, the ones that Federer couldn’t make, like the one leading 5-3 in the second set on Friday, when he chased down the ball and hit a backhand winner through the tiniest ‘window’ on the line. And at 36. He’s a great athlete. And at the end of the day, a part of him seems to have given up from that search for love.He put his hand to his ear and pointed to the audience at the tears. You don’t love me, I don’t care. But he did care“
An Englishman wrote what the whole world can see: We do not love Novak, nor can we love him!
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“We’ve watched for years as Djokovic wants something more than just respect in this big place. He eats grass, he blows kisses, he bows, he waves, he plays great tennis every year. He speaks decent words in better English than we speak. He also speaks better German, French and Italian, too.But on Friday, a part of him accepted that he would never get what he wanted. Respect will, but not love. Because respect can come from cold numbers and graphs. Love is a matter of feelings and what you feel while watching Djokovic. I already wrote on this site that his tennis did not have the same factor as Federer’s. Federer’s tennis was filled with art. Nadal’s not so much, but they certainly loved him. He evoked more emotions with the strength of his will, the human dimension of how he played.”
“Perhaps Djokovic’s only disadvantage in this field is that he is not Federer or Nadal, and perhaps it is the fact that he is someone else. Maybe, after all those wonderful matches between Federer and Nadal, there is a feeling that it is crowded when there are three. He may have beaten Murray in too many finals. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s rooting for the underdog, and anyone who plays against Djokovic is an underdog. Maybe it’s a pantomime. Maybe it’s the vaccines and what Novak says about purifying the water with positive thoughts. It might be unfair to use those things against him, but love is a feeling and love can be irrational.”
“Djokovic is an enigma and someone we can all respect. I can even respect his position on vaccination – I don’t agree with him and I certainly don’t like his position, but I can respect that he stands by his principles at the cost of his sports career . I can respect many things about him, from the challenges of his early life during wartime, to his ability to succeed in professional sports, to his complete dominance in tennis. If he beats Alcaraz, we will all respect him even more. And that’s deserved, as he always did. But love? It’s a very complicated thing. Even in tennis,” writes the author.
BONUS VIDEO:
00:14 Novak Djokovic waves to Wimbledon fans Source: Twitter/wild_shutterbug
Izvor: Twitter/wild_shutterbug