Novak Djokovic's controversial moments of 2021
Novak Djokovic continued to rewrite records and script history this year as the Serbian had yet another stellar season. However, there were some bumps along the road and he faced some flak from sections of tennis fans for some of his choices. Let's take a look at his most controversial moments in 2021:
#5 Djokovic loses his cool at the chair umpire
Players losing their cool at umpires is nothing new, and Djokovic was another player who got into a tussle with one. During his second-round match against Taylor Fritz at this year's Italian Open, it started to rain. But the umpire did not stop the match, despite repeatedly being asked to do so by Djokovic.
The World No. 1 finally lost his cool and yelled at the umpire, "How much more do you want to play?" before the umpire decided to do something.
#4 Djokovic's mask-less entry causes furore at Australian Open
Djokovic's mask-less entry into the Rod Laver Arena prior to the start of the Australian Open final caused quite a stir. One of the conditions for allowing spectators at the Grand Slam was for people to wear a mask. As everyone in the audience was expected to follow the rules, a player not wearing a mask for a few minutes rubbed people the wrong way.
Djokovic also received some backlash at the start of the tournament as he had called for an ease in the quarantine restrictions that were imposed upon the players.
#3 Djokovic's Olympic dream ends on a frustrated note
Djokovic was on course to achieve a Golden Calendar Slam this year, but lost to Alexander Zverev in the semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics. During the bronze medal playoff against Pablo Carreno Busta, emotions were running high and the Serbian's temper got the better of him.
Both men were determined to win a medal, but ultimately the Spaniard triumphed. Djokovic made his displeasure known throughout the match as he angrily tossed his racket into the empty stands and smashed another one, receiving flak from tennis fans for his unsporting actions.
#2 Djokovic meets with controversial military figures
During his trip to Bosnia this year, Djokovic was seen in the company of Milan Jolovic and Milorad Dodik. Jolivic is a former military commander who participated in the genocide that took place during the Bosnian War and Dodik is a politician who is noted for his denial of the aforementioned genocide.
Anyone hanging out with such controversial figures is going to be subject to considerable backlash, and Djokovic was no exception.
The world’s No. 1 men’s tennis player Novak Djokovic spent the last few days hanging out w/ a former underling of convicted genocidaire Ratko Mladic, & contemporary genocide denier & secessionist Milorad Dodik. Let’s see how many sponsorships “Nole” loses as a result. https://t.co/lnVhMMwV3U
#1 Djokovic's views on vaccines
Arguably the most controversial issue Djokovic has to contend with is his stance on vaccination. 2021 saw the start of vaccination drives all over the globe to combat the ongoing pandemic, but vaccine hesitancy has hindered operations.
Djokovic's stance on vaccines has been the cause of much debate this year. From being hesitant about them to keeping his vaccine status private, there's been a range of different takes offered by him, all of which have put him under immense scrutiny.
With a mandatory vaccination policy in place to compete in Australia next year, there's uncertainty regarding his participation as he hasn't made his own vaccination status public. However, in the recently released draw for the ATP Cup, Djokovic's name features on the entry list, indicating that he might have gotten vaccinated or intends to get vaccinated soon.