"Novak Djokovic has gone out of his way to stand up for other players in Australia" - Jim Courier
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has been at the centre of a backlash from the media and the Australian public in recent days. Djokovic's letter to Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley, with suggestions to improve the conditions for the 72 players in hard lockdown in Melbourne, didn't go down well with a lot of people. Many called it insensitive and selfish, while some even questioned the Serb's understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Novak Djokovic has also received support from some, who have defended his selflessness in looking out for his fellow players. First Craig Tiley himself clarified that Djokovic was merely requesting for change rather than demanding it, and then former legends Boris Becker and Chris Evert also asserted that the Serb did nothing wrong.
Now, another former World No. 1 has also spoken out in support of the 17-time Major champion. Jim Courier, a four-time Grand Slam winner, recently claimed that Novak Djokovic has gone the extra mile for the sake of his peers, and that the Australian public should give him another chance.
"Novak Djokovic has gone out of his way to stand up for other players in Australia," Jim Courier stated. "He was being a leader and it just came off wrong in the public and I hope the Australian public will give him another chance to at least explain himself."
Novak Djokovic has come up at a time that fans have decided they're a Roger Federer fan or a Rafael Nadal fan: Jim Courier
After the media backlash, Novak Djokovic himself issued a statement that his actions were misconstrued and that he was only trying to use his position to help his fellow players. Jim Courier, who is also a top tennis commentator on television today, expressed agreement with Djokovic on that point and claimed that the World No. 1 is sensitive of his public image.
Courier believes that despite winning 17 Slams, Novak Djokovic doesn't get enough adulation from fans. And that, according to the American, is because Djokovic is competing in the same era as two of the game's greatest superstars - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
"He is sensitive to public opinion," Courier said. "He spends energy trying to court public opinion and based on what he's done on the court he should be a huge fan favorite. He's just come up at a time that a lot of the fan base have decided they're a Roger (Federer) fan or a Rafael (Nadal) fan."