"Didn't see her ever doing this to another player": Jelena Djokovic left puzzled at 'disrespectful' Osaka situation with Cirstea

Saturday, 24 January 2026 at 08:14

In her final Australian Open, Sorana Cirstea was at the centre of controversy involving Naomi Osaka with the multiple Australian Open champion and former World No.1 involved in a dramatic confrontation at the end with a frosty handshake. Jelena Djokovic, wife of the 10-time champion weighed in on Instagram comments on Friday.

Osaka explained afterwards that the come-ons that she was doing was the main issue and she also copped criticism for saying 'sorry she's mad about it' during her on court interview, something she later regretted when she spoke to the media.

“I mean, I tried to play well. I think I made a lot of unforced errors but I tried my best. She’s a great player. I think this was her last Australian Open, so, sorry she’s mad about it," said Osaka on court.

But responding to the video of the pair talking at the net after the match, Djokovic wrote that she thought there was a rule change surrounding this because it wasn't exactly clear what was write and in her view it was hindrance on the side of Osaka which she also called disrespectful. She went further in depth as to why saying that this is due to the fact that the point isn't finished and it in turn meant that Cirstea took a slight pause which hindered her.

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“Hmm, I’m surprised that this is not being called hindrance," wrote Djokovic on Instagram. “In between 2 serves, when crowds are applauding or shouting, the chair ump asks not to shout between serves as it is disturbing to the player.

“The point is not finished. Sorana missed her first serve and is focusing on getting in the second, it is a slight pause. And is is disrespectful to applaud at someone’s first serve mistake too. I am surprised that the chair / Naomi thought that was fair?! Were there any rule changes that I missed?!”

Have the rules changed? - Djokovic

Replying to a further comment, she further underlined what she meant and said it was about the when and how with it not being right as opposed to the issue of players pumping themselves up.

She also added that she has never seen Osaka do it to any other player so was kind of surprised when she did it to Cirstea adding that was one of the reasons she thought the rules had changed. "There’s nothing wrong with pumping yourself up, and that’s not even the point of this comment, sorry I wasn’t clear enough. It is about when and how. She as a professional player would know that it is definitely NOT in between 1st and 2nd serve of your opponent.

“Unless you want to provoke. In this case, I don’t see why she is acting surprised at the end that Sorana got provoked. Naomi is being cheered on by her fans for pumping herself, great. I just didn’t see her ever doing this to another player so I thought it was a rule change or something.”

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Jelena Djokovic on the Naomi Osaka and Sorana Cirstea situation at the Australian Open

8:27 AM · Jan 23, 2026

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