French Open: Novak Djokovic wins, provokes and speaks plain language – the historic mission is in full swing
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The round of 16 was not even a sentence old when the now established game between Novak Djokovic and the French fans went into the next round.
Part of the audience whistled at the Serbs because they were angry about the strong wind. A few moments later, Djokovic hit a winner and made a mouth-to-mouth gesture for the audience to remain calm.
More whistles from the stands of Center Court. “If that starts in the first sentence…” Eurosport expert Mischa Zverev was slightly concerned about the exceptional player.
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But they are mostly unfounded with Djokovic, because the two-time French Open champion is not afraid of negative reactions and the resentment of the spectators.
Djokovic: “Some love to disrupt the game”
As early as the 3rd round against Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina, Djokovic tangled with the tennis fans at the Stade Roland-Garros – with gestures and later also verbally.
Exclusive: Djokovic explains his dispute with the fans
“Sometimes I don’t get it. I double fault and they boo, I take a medical timeout and they boo. Some people seem to enjoy doing that, but it’s not the biggest part of the audience. Most are there to see me or them to support other players to enjoy tennis, but some love to disrupt the game and disrespect the players,” Djokovic stressed in the Eurosport interview.
One can only marvel at how little the headwind has affected the Belgrade’s performance – especially since he opened up another cross in Paris.
Djokovic causes a stir with the Kosovo message
After the opening win against Aleksandar Kovacevic, Djokovic wrote a political message about the unrest in Kosovo on a camera lens. Even the French Minister of Sport Amélie Oudéa-Castéra intervened and criticized the tennis star. “That must not be repeated,” said the 45-year-old.
Djokovic defended his message that “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia”. “It’s something I stand by,” said the third in the world rankings, succinctly stating that for him “a Grand Slam without drama” couldn’t exist.
Djokovic defends explosive Kosovo statement: “That’s what I stand for”
Accompanied by these background noises, Djokovic tackles the historic mission of 23 Grand Slam titles and cuts a fabulous figure.
In contrast to all other favorites, he is still without losing a set at this French Open. The weak previous performances, the defeats against players like Lorenzo Musetti or Dusan Lajovic – forgotten, hidden, ticked off.
Tao patch on the chest, Alcaraz in sight
There is probably no other professional on the tour who can play tennis so well with such a mixed situation. The debate about the mysterious Taopatch that the record Grand Slam winner has stuck to his chest during his games is almost a small number. According to the manufacturer, this is a “nanotechnological device that converts the heat of the body into light”.
Round of 16: Djokovic flawless against Varillas – highlights
Djokovic trusts in it. “That’s the biggest secret of my career, otherwise I probably wouldn’t be sitting here,” reported the French Open champion of 2016 and 2021. The dream semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz is already on the horizon.
Of course: The Serb must first get rid of Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals, Alcaraz the strong Stefanos Tsitsipas. The semifinals with Djokovic would then take place on Friday – and one can assume that one or the other background noise will still be heard until then…
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With pleasure: Djokovic messes with the audience again
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