Was Novak Djokovic booed at Wimbledon? What happened between the Serb and the crowd during controversial Holger Rune clash? All you need to know
Novak Djokovic was involved in yet another controversial interaction with the Wimbledon crowd during his fourth-round match on Centre Court. The Serbian cruised to victory against Holger Rune to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the 60th time, but not without a little disagreement with the fans.
With Djokovic dominating Rune, the crowd started to back the Danish star in hopes that he could put up a fight. The Centre Court crowd erupted with chants of 'Ruuuunee' every time Rune won a point during the third set of the match. However, the chorus sounded a lot like 'boo,' which offended Novak Djokovic.
The Serbian star objected to the crowd's behaviour and mentioned them during his on-court interview. Djokovic felt 'disrespected' by the Wimbledon crowd but claimed that the booing did not affect him at all.
Novak Djokovic takes a dig at Wimbledon crowd after his fourth-round win
Novak Djokovic delivered one of his best performances of the season as he won 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 against Holger Rune in the fourth round of Wimbledon. However, his performance on the mic during his post-match interview stole the limelight.
Novak Djokovic was disappointed by a section of the crowd, and only thanked some of the fans for their support during the game. The Serb then sarcastically wished the people who booed him a 'good night.'
“To all the fans that have had respect and stayed here tonight, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I appreciate it. And to all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player – in this case me – have a good [drawn out] night. Gooood night, gooood night. A very good night.”
The interviewer Rishi Persad then tried to tell Djokovic that the crowd were cheering for Rune and not booing him. But the Serb claimed that he had played enough tennis to understand what the fans wanted to do, and demanded more respect for the players.
“They were. They were. I don't accept it. No, no, no. I know they were cheering for [Holger] Rune but that’s an excuse to also boo. Listen, I have been on the tour for more than 20 years. So trust me, I know all the tricks, I know how it works, it's fine, it's fine, it's okay,” he added.
Novak Djokovic ended his explosive on-court interview by saying he has played in more hostile environments and that the Wimbledon crowd does not affect him. The Serb thanked the section of the crowd that supported him before claiming that people who booed him 'cannot touch him'.
“I focus on the respectful people, they have respect, they pay the ticket and come and watch tonight and love tennis and appreciate the players and the efforts the players put in here. I played in much more hostile environments, trust me – you guys can’t touch me,” Djokovic said.
After his on-court interview, Djokovic continued his war of words in the post-match conference. The Serb said the fans have a choice of supporting the player that they like, but that they should not disrespect the opponent. He added that he felt the crowd took the booing too far, which compelled him to say something about it during his on-court interview.
"It’s part of this sport. If we’re here, if this tournament is so important historically, it’s because of the fans. True tennis fans who respect the players will always cheer for one player or another, it’s completely understandable and they have the freedom to do so. Now, if someone goes too far, I react. That’s what happened. After the match, I said what I said," Djokovic said.
With Djokovic disappointed at the crowd, it will be interesting to see their reaction during the Serb's quarterfinal clash against Alex de Minaur. The seven-time Wimbledon champion is aiming for a record-equalling eighth title at SW19.