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Novak Djokovic once again complained about fan behavior at the Australian Open after his opponent was urged to ‘send him home’, 12 months into his deportation saga.
The 35-year-old returned to Melbourne Park for this year’s tournament, having missed the 2022 event after the Australian government deported him due to his vaccination status.
Looking to win his tenth slam Down Under, Djokovic made light work of Russian opponent Andrey Rublev in the first set of their quarterfinal on Wednesday night, winning it 6-1.
Novak Djokovic has erupted into a troublemaker again during their Australian Open match
The 35-year-old pointed to a fan in the crowd who chanted ‘send him home’ on Wednesday.
The Serb demanded that the referee make the interrupted person ‘shut up’ during his match
But Djokovic was clearly upset by boos from the Rod Laver Arena crowd and was heard urging referee James Keothavong to take action after a fan was heard yelling: “Send him home Rublev, send him home.”
When Rublev was serving 4-1 down, Djokovic told the referee: ‘Can you tell the striker to shut up or not? Every point, every point where you’re not reacting.’
Then, after winning the first set, Djokovic continued: “I don’t care if he’s rooting for it.” [Rublev]. But three or four times in a row she has said things about me.
Djokovic was deported from Australia last year after a dispute over his vaccination status.
Djokovic has had his fair share of run-ins with fans during this year’s tournament, having complained about a fan who was “drunk out of his mind” early in the competition.
He took matters into his own hands during his second round game, telling the referee that the spectator was trying to ‘get into my head’ during a playoff against Enzo Couacaud.
“The guy is completely drunk, from the first moment he has been provoking me,” he said. He’s not here to watch tennis. He just wants to get into my head.
Djokovic also asked the referee: ‘What are you going to do about it? Why don’t you call security to get him out of the stadium?
He returned to Melbourne Park this year aiming to win his 10th Australian Open title.
Djokovic took a two-set lead during his match against number 5 seed Andrey Rublev.
A security officer was then seen talking to a group of fans dressed as Where’s Wally to try and calm things down.
But the criticism did not stop Djokovic from advancing to the third round, with the Serb defeating Frenchman Couacaud 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-0.
Speaking about the rowdy crowd, Djokovic said after the match: “What I have a problem with is when somebody crosses the line, a lot of times… and says things that weren’t respectful at all.”
Djokovic, who said the booing had been going on for over an hour and a half, added: “I’ve had enough, you know?”
Meanwhile, Andy Murray faced a torrent of abuse from Australian fans during his match against Thanasi Kokkinakis.
It is not the first time that Djokovic has complained about the fans, as he complained in the second round.
The security officer talks to four fans dressed in Where’s Wally costumes at the Rod Laver Arena who are believed to have tried to disturb the Serbian superstar.
Murray was furious that the match, the longest the Brit has played in his career at 5 hours and 45 minutes, went into the early hours of the morning in Melbourne, with the star finally beating Kokkinakis at 4:08 a.m. local.
As he sat down after winning the fourth set, Murray told the referee it was “disrespectful” that players couldn’t take a bathroom break when it’s 4am in the morning, and when they’ve been playing for more than 5 hours.
“I mean, do you know something?” Murray told the referee, holding up his finger. I respect the rules. It’s so disrespectful that the tournament keeps us here until 3, fucking 4 in the morning and we’re not allowed to pee.
“It’s a joke,” Murray added, as the referee nodded. It’s a joke and you know it too. It is a lack of respect. It’s disrespectful to you, it’s disrespectful to the ball boys, it’s disrespectful to the players. And we are not allowed to go to the bathroom. Ridiculous.’