Earlier in his career, Novak Djokovic was often accused by fellow players of often retiring mid-match, taking extended medical timeouts, blaming just about anything after losing, and suffering from too many injuries.
A similar incident happened at the 2008 US Open when Djokovic beat Tommy Robredo 4-6 6-2 6-3 5-7 6-3 in the fourth round but complained about multiple physical issues during his match.
Reacting to this in a press conference, the Serb's next opponent and former World No. 1 Andy Roddick sarcastically asked a journalist whether Djokovic had a "back and hip injury, cramps, bird flu, common cold, and SARS as well."
Djokovic defeated the local champion 6-2 6-3 3-6 7-6(5) in their quarterfinal clash and gave a strong reaction in lieu of the American's earlier comments. In the on-court interview, the Serb expressed his jubilation at beating Roddick in front of his home crowd.
"I am really happy playing against Roddick on his court and in his city in his favorite tournament, so to win against him is a huge effort. I have nothing against anybody. Andy was saying that I have 16 injuries in the last match, so obviously I don't, right?" Djokovic said.
Earlier this week, a fan asked the American about the seriousness of the incident between the two players.
"How serious was your beef with Novak in the late 2000s? I read something about an almost locker room fight," a fan asked Roddick.
Roddick was quick to reply, saying that incidents like this one happen in sports all the time. He also assured everyone that both of them resolved their differences soon after.
"Stuff like that happened a lot in locker rooms in heat of the moment. Wouldn’t have come to blows. Never does. There were heated words. We actually talked it out that same night and have been fine ever since. We always have a nice hello when we see each other. All good," Roddick replied.
Andy Roddick and Novak Djokovic played each other nine times, with the American leading 5-4 in career meetings.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- Either Lena has a chronic internal ailment (i.e., colitis, enteritis, Crohn's, or some type of lower abdomen issue) -- or she is once again dealing with 'Vukovitis'. Mental stress can indeed cause lower body pains. No matter... whatever is truly going on sucks. "Virus" excuse is getting a bit old -- and often -- at this point.
mandoist09-11-2026 - Ironically, Martina became a U.S. Citizen about the same time as the Orange Convicted Felon & Abuser was just beginning on his road to losing all Daddy's Millions!!mandoist09-11-2026
- "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?mandoist09-11-2026
- Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.mandoist08-11-2026
- Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??mandoist08-11-2026
- Wtf? Why is there no reason? And what about the men's?Bel08-11-2026
- One step by another step -- WTA continues to 'lose the plot'. Too many hi-tech microphones being installed at most venues!!! Remove them (especially those along the hallways, sidewalks, and pathways throughout the venues. Not to mention (most of all) remove the mic's from the Players/Coaches Box.mandoist06-11-2026
- Enough of her bullshit. Go marry someone.mandoist06-11-2026
- Don't you just love this young lady!? We fans often expect athletes to be supermen and superwomen, often forgetting that they WILL GET TIRED! I love Alex's perspective. Tiredness for an athlete should never be viewed as a negative, especially if you are healthy, taking care of your body and mental health and putting in the work. What a mature perspective. Good for you, Alex!Rapunzel05-11-2026
- Jess is absolutely correct! But the disrespect is a trait I have noticed in most of the Russian players. Mirra is good but very immature and lacks humility. Conceivable needs to get a handle on that!Rapunzel05-11-2026
