Serbia captain hits back in defence of Novak Djokovic after ‘disrespectful’ reaction

The fall-out from Novak Djokovic’s exit at the Australian Open continues to be a talking point and now Serbia Davis Cup captain Viktor Troicki has given a brutal verdict on how his compatriot was treated.
Djokovic was booed off court after he was forced to quit in his semi-final against Alexander Zverev, with some observers questioning whether the 24-time Grand Slam champion was exaggerating his injury prior to his withdrawal.
Tennis legend John McEnroe was among those questioning the severity of Djokovic’s injury after he sustained the problem in his match quarter-final match against Carlos Alcaraz, with the Serbian posting an image of the MRI scan confirming a tear in his muscle to silence his doubters.
Now Troicki has told BolaVIP that Djokovic was disrespected in Australia, as the 10-time champion made what may have been his final appearance in Melbourne.
“They were booing him after the injury, which I don’t think happens in any sport,” said Djokovic’s long-time friend Troicki.
“Not even in soccer, where the crowd is normally more wild. When someone gets injured in soccer, even an opponent, they will applaud you and wish you to get better.
“That’s why it was surprising to see, especially in a place where he has played his best tennis and has won 10 titles, that he got booed after the injury. It was really disrespectful and disappointing.
“They are booing him in the crowd, which was not happening before in Australia. I think they were admiring his results more and greeting the champion with more respect in the past.”
Djokovic gave his response to the jeers from the crowd in the Serbian section of his press conference in Melbourne as he said: “I don’t know what to say. People came, they paid for the tickets expecting a great match and a big fight, which they didn’t get.
“From that perspective, I can understand. I am doing my best to understand them, but I am not sure whether they understand me or if they even want to understand me,” he said.
“I know how my body works, what I feel, and I know how much I’ve given to this tournament in the past 20-plus years. I will stop here, so that I don’t continue (speaking) in the wrong direction.”
Troicki also gave his verdict on the spat with Channel 9 broadcaster Tony Jones, who was forced to apologise after he mocked Djokovic’s fans and the tennis legend in a TV clip that went viral mid-way through the tournament.
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“There was the situation around channel nine, which I noticed as well. If I had hired that journalist, I would have fired him straight away. He would never work in sports again,” added Troicki.
“I think they are treating Novak worse and worse. It is surprising and disappointing to see the greatest player of all time experiencing so many bad things happening in Australia again. After Covid and what they did to him a few years ago, it has never been the same.
“To mock an athlete during the tournament is unacceptable. I don’t think an apology is enough. I think he should be banned for life from covering tennis.”
It was a strong rebuke from Troicki, but that is only to be expected from one of Djokovic’s closest friends in tennis after a curious two weeks for the most successful male tennis player of all-time.
The immediate concern for Troicki is trying to win a Davis Cup tie against Denmark in Copenhagen, with the absence of the injured Djokovic a huge blow to Serbia’s hopes.
Holger Rune is set to play for his nation, with the young Dane aiming to end Djokovic’s hopes of winning the Davis Cup for another year.
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