'Don't allow them to drag you to the bottom' - Novak Djokovic sends cryptic message
Novak Djokovic has been facing merciless trolling on social media ever since he announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus. While the World No. 1 has had most fans' empathy and well wishes for recovery, he has also been at the receiving end of unending criticism for his disastrous Adria Tour - where all norms of social distancing were forgotten.
But the 17-time Grand Slam champion seems to have had enough now, and has hit back at his critics in a somewhat cryptic and indirect manner.
Novak Djokovic posts defiant message after apology fails to placate detractors
Novak Djokovic has twice apologized for the chaos that ensued at the Adria Tour. He has admitted that the organizers - including himself - and participants erred in the manner in which they went about the event and their off-court activities.
But social media is not a place where people simply accept apologies and move on, especially when it involves exposing a good chunk of the population to a deadly virus and risking human lives. And when such a grave mistake comes from a global sporting icon like Novak Djokovic, who was warned several times of the risks holding such an event, the anger gets compounded.
Djokovic had dismissed all the warnings on the pretext that the pandemic was much more controlled in his country and neighboring Croatia, and the Balkan region as a whole. When things went south, fans on social media couldn't resist from showing Djokovic just how wrong he was and how he had let everything blow up in his face.
To add to the drama, Novak Djokovic's father Srdjan decided to shift the whole blame on to Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov. That invited even more criticism, with people accusing Djokovic of not owning up to his mistake - when in fact he did take full accountability in his apology note.
Taking all that into account, Novak Djokovic - who's known to lead a life filled with spirituality and ancient wisdom - took to Instagram yesterday to post a message much akin to his personality.
Quoting a highly revered Serbian Patriarch, Djokovic seemed to be hitting back at the fans and media for trying to drag him down.
"Boats don't sink because of the water that surrounds them, but because of the water that enters into them. Don't allow the surroundings to get inside you and to drag you to the bottom," Novak Djokovic said in his Instagram story.
The World No. 1's subtle message seems to be aimed at his detractors. Djokovic is determined to let them know that he won't let them get him down, and that he plans to come back stronger than ever.
While Novak Djokovic's international image is at an all-time low, this message is a reminder of the Serb's mental strength - which he has frequently showcased while facing adversity on the tennis court.
At the lowest point in his career, Novak Djokovic doesn't seem to be in any mood to throw in the towel. In that context, it would be interesting to see whether the same defiance and determination are translated into his tennis when the tour resumes in August.