"This is the wokest tournament ever": Jordan Thompson blasts Australian Open after being left gobsmacked at sudden rule change
ATPTuesday, 16 January 2024 at 10:28
Jordan Thompson has branded the Australian Open 'the wokest tournament ever' after a damning tirade during his opener in Melbourne.
This comes down to a rule change as new rules dictate that fans can enter the stadium between games which put Thompson out of his stride as he was waiting for fans to take their seats in the stadium.
"You're kidding me, really?" Thompson said in surprise and then he took aim at the tournament itself. "This is the wokest tournament ever."
Thompson was explained the rules, but even then found them to be stupid. "It's just not smart."
He's not the only one to fall fowl of the new rule with Novak Djokovic launching into an expletive laden tirade during his opener against Dino Prizmic. To which he admitted post match that he didn't know about any changes.
'I did not know about that new policy or new rule,' he said.
'Look, I mean, I understand the motive behind it is to enhance and improve the experience for fans, right? We do play for fans. We want fans to have a great, thrilling experience of being out on the court.
'It's hard, I must say. I understand that and I support it to some extent, but at the same time all my career, all my life I've been used to some kind of atmosphere. When that changes, it kind of messes up, distracts you a bit."
'Today we lost quite a bit of time when they were letting people in to come to their seats, even though it was not a changeover. My opponent would wait for them to sit down. It dragged a lot.
'I don't know if it's really the best rule, but I do understand from a tournament and fan perspective it's probably better because they don't want to wait. They want to come out and enjoy every single point.
'I'm kind of divided between the two in a way.'
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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