"Novak Djokovic at his finest", "His sense of humor is top notch" - Serb blaming ATP's spoof skit writers for Australian Open SF loss amuses fans
Novak Djokovic jokingly blaming the ATP's spoof skit writers and director for his 2024 Australian Open semi-final defeat to Jannik Sinner amused several tennis fans online.
ATP recently released a video featuring several tennis stars such as Djokovic, Andy Murray, Frances Tiafoe, Stan Wawrinka, Gael Monfils, Holger Rune, Carlos Alcaraz, and many others. The players took part in a brilliant parody sketch, cleverly playing on the concept of the tour being a fabricated reality show.
The creative minds behind the ATP skit cleverly portrayed that everything the public witnesses, ranging from the thrilling matches to the captivating interviews, wins and losses, and even the engaging social media posts, is meticulously scripted.
In this amusing skit, the Serb, playing the role of 'Bert Critchley,' was humorously depicted practicing his iconic shirt-ripping celebration in front of a mirror.
Novak Djokovic took to social media to share the video, humorously mentioning that it has become a tradition for writers to write about him winning the Australian Open. However, he insinuated that this year, they wrote a script in which he faced an unexpected defeat in the semifinals against the eventual champion, Jannik Sinner.
As a result, Djokovic was denied his chance to secure his 11th Melbourne Major title and his 25th Grand Slam. He playfully attributed his loss to the writers and directors, suggesting that anyone dissatisfied with the season's beginning should reach out to the director.
"Normally the writers start the season with my character Novak winning the Australian Open title. So, for anyone that doesn’t like the beginning of this season, please contact the director 😂 😂 @atptour," he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Fans were delighted to witness the World No. 1's sense of humor, and took to social media to express their amusement. One fan even stated that Novak Djokovic's lightheartedness regarding his Australian Open semi-final loss showcased his humor at its finest.
"Djoker at his finest 😂 ," a fan posted on X.
Another fan stated that the Serbs' humor was "top notch."
"His sense of humor is top notch 😂 😂 ," the fan posted.
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:
A brief look into Novak Djokovic's 2024 Australian Open campaign
Novak Djokovic began his 2024 season with his title defense at the Australian Open. He kicked off his campaign by defeating qualifier Dino Prizmic 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 in just over four hours in the first round. This victory also marked the longest first-round match of his career.
Continuing his impressive run, the Serb then defeated home favorite Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3. This win not only extended his unbeaten streak to 30 matches at the Australian Open but also saw him equal Serena Williams' record for the most wins at the iconic Rod Laver Arena.
In the third round, which also marked his 100th Australian Open match, the 24-time Grand Slam champion emerged victorious against Tomas Martin Etcheverry. The 36-year-old then went on to defeat Adrian Mannarino in straight sets to secure his spot in the quarterfinals.
There, Djokovic defeated Taylor Fritz 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, consequently shattering the American's dreams of securing his first Major semifinal spot. The Serb's downfall came in the semifinals when he faced off against the eventual champion, Jannik Sinner.
Sinner triumphed over him with a commanding 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3 victory, bringing an end to the World No. 1's remarkable 33-match winning streak in Melbourne.