Stan Wawrinka says fans "should be allowed to do whatever they want" in light of Craig Tiley's warning to Novak Djokovic haters
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley recently fired a stern warning to Novak Djokovic's haters, stating that they would be expelled from the grounds should they boo and heckle the Serb during his matches at the event. But former Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka believes fans should be given a bit of leeway in cases of boisterous behavior, citing how "every player" experiences it.
That said, the Swiss did concede that unruly fans should be expelled if they cross the "limit."
"If they go over the limit (then yes), but I think they should be allowed to do whatever they want. They do it every year with every player. That's tennis. That's sport. That's what you want," Wawrinka told Gold Coast Bulletin.
Wawrinka also expressed sympathy towards Djokovic, who was controversially deported from Australia last year due to being unvaccinated. The three-time Major champion believes fans are unlikely to heckle Djokovic, and said he would be happy to see the nine-time champion back in action.
"So, of course, things happened with Novak last year, and I think there was many mistakes. I do believe they will not boo him. They will be happy to see him and it's going to be a great tournament," Wawrinka expressed.
"If they disrupt the enjoyment of anyone else – boom, they are out" - Craig Tiley's warning to Novak Djokovic's haters
Novak Djokovic's visa fiasco from 2022, coupled with his unvaccinated status (against COVID-19), led many fans to believe that the Serb could face a tough time from local fans in Australia this year. But that was not the case as the 21-time Major champion enjoyed a warm welcome at the Adelaide International 1.
In any case, Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has made it clear that fans who heckle or boo Djokovic during the Slam will be expelled from the grounds.
"If they disrupt the enjoyment of anyone else – boom, they are out. We don't want them on site. They can stay away or we will kick them out," Craig Tiley told the Herald Sun.
That said, Tiley was hopeful that Aussies would not be impartial towards the nine-time champion.
"We have spoken a fair bit over the past week and he really enjoyed his experience in South Australia," Craig Tiley said.
"Our sporting fans are among the most educated in the world. They appreciate greatness. I'm pretty confident that the fans of Melbourne, similar to the experience that he had in Adelaide, will be just as good," he added.