Category: Novak Djokovic

Tennis Legend Slams Novak Djokovic for New Players Only Association

While 2020 hasn’t been the best of years for most sports stars, it has been a roller coaster ride for Serbian Novak Djokovic. Djokovic, who has been out of sorts form wise, has been trending in the news and headlines for some atrocious moments on and off the court. 

His most recent adventure was to create a new players only association named the Professional Tennis Players Association or PTPA. The PTPA has been a polarizing topic of discussion for all players, new and old. 

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova recently jumped into this conversation and revealed that she was totally against the formation of a new players association. She even advised Djokovic to use all the extra energy on the field rather than on a players association. 

“He thinks he’s doing the right thing. I don’t agree with it but it’s his choice. It certainly didn’t seem to help his tennis. Purely from a logical point of view, when you are a champion tennis player, when you commit to the sport, your energy goes into that. But starting this association? This is not helpful on any level,” Navratilova said in a conversation with The Irish Times.

Navratilova took the same stance on PTPA that Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer had taken by refusing to be a part of it. Federer and Nadal had mentioned the need for players to remain united during this crisis. 

“Do that when you stop playing tennis but it’s controversial and not helpful. During Covid, you’re trying to divide us further when we should be trying to bring the game together and trying to figure out how to play tournaments without people getting sick and dying from Covid? Let’s stay with that problem rather than creating one we don’t need,” Navratilova added. 

Despite this criticism, Djokovic has expressed eagerness to include both Nadal and Federer in the association. 

YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWU16cdU11w

Year of Controversies Continues for Djokovic With US Open Disqualification

Novak Djokovic’s 2020 just couldn’t have been worse. Playing in an empty Arthur Ashe court, Novak got a rush of blood and intentionally hit a line judge in the throat with a ball. The incident marked an end to Djokovic’s 29-match winning streak and also put an end to his hopes for an 18th Grand Slam title. 

Djokovic, who was obviously disappointed with the incident, voiced what he had learned from it a few days down the line. 

“I’m working mentally and emotionally as hard as I am working physically, I’m trying to be the best version of myself on the court and off the court and I understand that I have outbursts and this is kind of the personality and the player that I have always been,’ Djokovic said 8 days after the incident. 

“I’m going to take this in as profound as possible for me as a big lesson. I’ve been thinking about it. I’ve been comprehending. I’ve been talking to my team. It’s just one of these things that is just unfortunate and happens. You have to move on. It was totally unexpected and very unintended as well, when you hit a ball like that you have a chance to hit somebody that is on the court. The rules are clear. So I accepted it. I had to move on and that’s what I did,” Djokovic further added. 

Djokovic went on to mention that he checked on the lineswoman and was glad to know that she wasn’t seriously injured. While many tennis greats have reacted to the situation, Spanish rival Rafa Nadal has accused the Serb of lacking self control. 

“Sorry for him. He had an opportunity there. But in some way you should not be doing this. It’s very unfortunate, very unlucky situation. But it’s important to have the right self-control on the court, because if not, you can be unlucky,” Nadal said talking about the incident. 

YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8a0PFleKm4

Novak Djokovic Gets Stick for Weird US Open Celebration

It takes no microscope to see just how everything that Novak Djokovic does these days doesn’t go well with fans and followers. From organizing a tennis tournament without any COVID-19 precautions to defending his role in it, Djokovic hasn’t really been the perfect advert for the game of late. 

World No.1 Djokovic, however, remained unfazed with the criticism as he started his first round US Open match against Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia in style. Djokovic beat the world no. 109 with readings of 6-1 6-4 6-1. 

However, the Serbian star then went on to proceed with his usual celebration of thumping his chest and bowing down in front of the crowd. With no one inside the court, Djokovic kind of looked absurd and weird doing his routine celebrations. 

Djokovic had come into the tournament saying he would keep the celebrations alive and didn’t worry about the public backlash it would receive. 

“Look, I’m going to keep on doing it because I just – I don’t know. I think it’s part of the routine,” Djokovic said.

“It’s part of also me paying a tribute and a thanks to the match and to the court and to the occasion.”

We all know the reason behind crowd restrictions in place at the U.S. Open, but does Novak still want his stands to be full of people? Has he heard of a certain pandemic in place currently? 

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytr32bZehEo

Novak Djokovic Tests Positive for Corona Virus after Controversial Tennis Tour

Siberian Tennis star Novak Djokovic has tested positive for the viral pandemic COVID-19 after he organized a controversial tennis tournament in Eastern Europe with almost little to no regard for social distancing and the problems that can arise due to negligence. 

Djokovic issued a statement in late June, suggesting that he had caught the dreaded Corona Virus along with his wife, and coach. His children tested negative for the virus after double tests. 

Djokovic still went on to defend his decision for organizing the recent tennis tournament, saying that it was held in good intentions. 

“We organized the tournament at the moment when the virus had weakened, believing that the conditions for hosting the Tour had been met,” he mentioned in his statement.

“Everything we did in the past month, we did with a pure heart and sincere intentions. Our tournament meant to unite and share a message of solidarity and compassion throughout the region,” he further added.

Toni Nadal spoke to ESPN about the tournament and about Djokovic’s eventual COVID positive result. He mentioned this was a mistake literally anyone could make, and Djokovic has been the bigger man by coming out and apologizing for it. 

“It was a shame. A good initiative ended up being a coronavirus problem that has not been good for tennis or Djokovic. Everyone should have been more cared for,” he said. 

“It’s a mistake anyone can make and Novak Djokovic has apologized for it” 

“In Serbia, they were not so strict. It’s a mistake anyone can make and Djokovic has apologized but it’s a setback in the process of normalizing the circuit,” he said. 

The fallout after the Adria Tour has made USTA and ATP even more careful of what’s to come. With the cramped calendar this year, it won’t be a surprise if players opt out of major Grand Slams. 

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=820TsEkIAWg

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic Slam Canada for Controversial Davis Cup Walkover

Tennis pros Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic have voiced their concern over Canada’s decision to hand America a walk over in the Davis Cup final.

The Canadians, who had already won the group stage match against America, said that their players weren’t fit to play against the Americans in the dead rubber doubles final. The Americans were awarded the match by 6-0, 6-0, which has ruffled quite a few feathers in the international professional men circuit.

Andy Murray from Great Britain voiced his discontent first and mentioned that this wasn’t good. “I think that when we spoke in here yesterday, I was saying I felt like one of the positive things to the way the group stages work is that all of the matches are live, there aren’t any dead rubbers. And, I believe they also would have had two days off as well after that so I think they should have played the tie,” said Murray.

World No.2 Novak Djokovic also mentioned that he heard the news recently and didn’t like it personally. “I personally don’t like that. I mean, that shouldn’t be allowed, to be honest. I understand that Canada is through already, they won both of their ties. Maybe some of the players like Felix, I think he’s injured, and they wanted to rest their players for the quarterfinals and onwards. But I just feel it’s not fair that the USA gets 6-0 6-0 because they are going actually head-to-head now against Italy. But I also understand it wouldn’t be fair if you just don’t give a point, you know, because USA was ready to play doubles. So I don’t know. But I think everyone should be obliged to come out and play, at least play,” said the world number 2.

A statement by the ITF clarified that USA were given the win because three players from the Canadian team were declared unfit by an independent doctor. The lack of professionalism, however, hasn’t gone down well with the pros of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7reJ-j-yZ4v