Top-seeded Novak Djokovic was defaulted from his fourth-round match at the #USOpen after he accidentally hit a line judge with a tennis ball on Sunday.
Novak Djokovic looked remorseful, but it was too late, the damage had been done. In truth, this weekend’s incident has capped off a poor summer for the Serb and has done very little to remove the ‘unlikeable’ tag placed on him.
Novak Djokovic on twitter
The tournament favourite, a US Open title would have taken the the 33-year-old to 18 grand slams. Closing the gap on serial winners Rafael Nadal (19) and Roger Federer (20).
Djokovic has the reputation as the unlikeable tennis player, In June he had to apologise for contracting coronavirus after taking part in his own tournament which he admitted was ‘too soon’ to stage.
Chasing the legends that are Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on titles and trophies is no easy feat but in doing so he hasn’t carried himself very well. For some of his admirers, Novak’s sheer talent is enough to ignore his on-court personality whilst for others it was a crucial part. For many, it’s not just about winning but about how you win.
In terms of talent Novak is up there with the greats of our time. He has managed to keep pace with tennis greats Federer and Nadal with all three interchangeably swapping the number one position in the last few years.
However, Djokovic lacks the likeability and poise that Nadal and Federer possess. Djokovic isn’t considered a ‘gentleman’ like Federer nor is he considered ‘smooth’ like Nadal.
Djokovic had a similar incident in 2016 when he bounced his racket on the court out of frustration that ricocheted and narrowly missed a line judge.
However, Novak’s temperament and attitude on the court doesn’t detract from his personality off the court. He certainly isn’t a bad man but poor judgement at times can be attributed to him.
As he said in his apology this moment is something he can learn from and evolve, he’s certainly had to overcome a lot of challenges in his career.
