💥 350 wins in Grand Slam 💥 30th straight win in Wimbledon 💥 41st straight win on Centre Court Novak Djokovic keeps breaking records beating Jordan Thompson 6-3 7-6 7-5 in Wimbledon!
"They wake something in me that they perhaps don’t want to see": Djokovic uses hecklers as extra motivation
Tennis NewsThursday, 06 July 2023 at 17:00
Novak Djokovic has said that hecklers provide him with extra motivation following a mixed reaction from the Wimbledon crowd.
Twenty-three-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic has spoken of how hostile members of the crowd spur him on, rather than deter him or throw him off.
The seven-time Wimbledon winner got through his second round at this year's tournament fairly easily, winning in straight sets against Jordan Thompson in what was his 350th Grand Slam victory. The Serb did have a strong opponent in the Australian, with Thompson constantly changing up the pace during the match, but as expected Djokovic came out on top, winning 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-5.
The current world No. 2 is the clear favorite to win the grasscourt major again this year, which would see him equal Roger Federer's eight-time Wimbledon record. However, there is fierce competition in the field, most notably from the 20-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, the current world No. 1 who claimed victory on grass last month at the Queen's Club Championships.
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Hostile crowd members
Djokovic has had to deal with negative attention throughout his long career. Earlier this year, he was repeatedly heckled at the Australian Open, leading him to yell "Shut up!" to the crowd. An umpire even had to intervene at one point to underline that there was "no need" for the nasty comments being hurled at the player by some spectators.
Indeed, his match at the SW19 was no exception. Particularly from the beginning of the second set, the jeers rose up from the audience once more.
Speaking to Serbian reporters afterwards, Djokovic suggested those insulting him were perhaps achieving the opposite of their intentions,
"In fact, they are doing me a favor," he said, "The more they cheer against me, the better for me. They wake something in me that they perhaps don’t want to see – a winner."
A level of acceptance
Djokovic went on to admit that he hasn't always received the support he would like from fans, but seemed fairly at peace with it,
"As a player, you want to have the majority of the crowd on your side. My wish is not to play in a hostile atmosphere.
"It turns out, though, that the crowd supports my opponent in most of the matches in my career. That’s my destiny and that’s all right – sometimes I find it harder to accept it, sometimes I don’t understand the crowd’s reactions, but it’s their right."
Nevertheless, he addressed the fact that he hasn't always remained calm, saying
"Sometimes, though, some people are more daring in what they’re saying from the stands – when it’s like that, they have to expect me to answer and react. It’s happened in the past, in the big tournaments around the world. It gives me extra fuel, inspires me to play even better."
Djokovic will face Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka in his third-round match on Friday, July 7.
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