Novak Djokovic fans in meltdown over disrespect after Australian Open snub
The omission of Novak Djokovic from the headers on the Australian Open social media accounts has sparked a backlash from the Serbian’s fanbase.
Djokovic, the Australian Open men’s defending champion and a tournament icon who has won 10 titles in Melbourne, has been overlooked in favour of Coco Gauff.
World No 4 Gauff is the sole star featured in the header on the Australian Open’s official Twitter / X account and Facebook page ahead of the 2024 tournament.
Aryna Sabalenka, who won the women’s singles event at the 2023 Australian Open, is also absent from the image used at the top of the pages.
The header image shows 2023 US Open champion Gauff hitting a backhand and includes the phrases ‘It hits harder live’ and ‘AO hits different.’
A host of Djokovic fan accounts on Twitter have hit out at the decision not to include an image of the Serbian great in the prominent position on the tournament’s page.
One account compared this year’s header image to the one used before and during the 2023 Australian Open that featured both 2022 men’s champion Rafael Nadal and Gauff.
A number of Djokovic supporters described the choice not to feature the men’s world No 1 as a “bad look”, with many feeling the tournament are intentionally ignoring the Serb in their promotional material.
Australian Open’s header last few weeks (Novak’s a defending champ)
vs@AustralianOpen header throughout January 2023. pic.twitter.com/BkYHvxY1g4— . A͟O͟¹⁰ (@NoleLondon) January 9, 2024
Djokovic has enjoyed remarkable dominance at the Australian Open in his career and has won the event the last four times he has competed, with his last defeat coming in 2018. The 24-time major champion defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in last year’s final.
READ MORE: Australian Open 2024: When does it start? When is the draw? Who could Novak Djokovic face?
The 36-year-old holds an incredible 89-8 (92%) record at the Melbourne Grand Slam and has won it more times than any other male player.
As well as Gauff’s status as one of the game brightest young stars, the American’s clothing manufacturer New Balance could be a reason for her featuring.
It was announced last month that Tennis Australia had signed an agreement to make New Balance the Official Performance Apparel and Footwear provider of the Australian Open and United Cup.
“We are thrilled to join with New Balance. We share a common goal of growing tennis through innovation while honouring the sport’s rich heritage, making New Balance an obvious partner for two of the sport’s biggest events – the Australian Open and the United Cup,” Tennis Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer Cedric Cornelis said.
“New Balance has a long history of investing in tennis, with some of the game’s biggest names as proud ambassadors of the brand. We are excited to work with New Balance as it expands its presence in the sport even further.”
Gauff, who had a terrific 2023 season and began 2024 by defending her Auckland title, is the biggest tennis star who sports New Balance clothing and footwear.
