Novak Djokovic about the boos at French Open 2023: "That's something that I find disrespectful, but it's their right"
Novak Djokovic talked about his relationship with the crowd at the 2023 French Open after his third round win. Djokovic defeated Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after a gruesome three-set battle, 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 6-2 in the third round at Roland Garros.
The match was tense in many ways, with the Serb having another battle with the crowd who sometimes cheered for the underdog Davidovich Fokina.
The World No. 3 was asked about his relationship with the crowd in Paris, which has often been described as one of the most hostile places to play tennis.
"I still get support, you know, even today. I think majority of the people comes to enjoy tennis or support one or the other player. But they are individuals. You know, they are people, they're groups or whatever, that love to boo every single thing you do," Djokovic said.
"That's something that I find disrespectful and I frankly don't understand that. But it's their right. They paid the ticket. They can do whatever they want," the Serb added.
Djokovic continued, explaining that he mostly doesn't engage with the negativity, but sometimes has to react if somebody is being disrespectful.
"At times, you know, I will stay quiet. Not at times. Actually 99% of the time I will stay quiet. Sometimes I will oppose that, because I feel when somebody is disrespectful, you know, he or she deserves to have an answer to that. That's what it is all about," he said.
Novak Djokovic to play Hubert Hurkacz or Juan Pablo Varillas in the fourth round of the 2023 French Open
Novak Djokovic didn't have it easy against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round, winning the match after more than three and a half hours of tennis.
"He was making me work for every point. Yeah, I just have to be, in the end of the day when I draw a line, very content to win this match in three sets. I'm really glad that I managed to kind of gear up in the third, and now basically focuses on recovery and trying to get ready for the next one," Djokovic said during the post-match press conference.
He is now set to face either Hubert Hurkacz or Juan Pablo Varillas in the fourth round.
Novak Djokovic has defeated Hurkacz in all five of their previous encounters, with the last one coming at the 2023 Dubai Open, 6-3, 7-5. He has never played against Pablo Varillas.