Novak Djokovic faced more than his opponent in Sunday’s fourth-round match against Jiri Lehecka at the Australian Open. The 10-time champion had to deal with vocal spectators disrupting his serve, forcing the chair umpire to intervene and restore order on Rod Laver Arena.
A good start, but the audience is changing
Djokovic dominated the first two sets, but Lehecka raised his level in the third, pushing the Serb to a closer match. With Lehecka showing resilience, the public began to support the underdog. The atmosphere intensified when Djokovic served at 3-4, with fans trying to destabilize him by shouting during his serve.
“Djokovic just needs to keep his focus here. It’s almost like there are a few people in the audience trying to irritate him,” Tim Henman observed during commentary.
Referee intervenes as frustration grows
At 30-15 in the eighth game, the disturbance escalated. Djokovic stopped his service move after hearing screams from the stands and shook his head in frustration. Chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani addressed the crowd, saying: “Please show your support but don’t disturb the players, please, for both players.” »
The warning was met with applause, but the interruptions continued. Serving to stay in the set at 4-5, Djokovic was again disrupted by a shouting spectator during his serve, leading to an unforced error. He waved his arms in disbelief, visibly annoyed by the situation.
-Commentators speak out
Co-commentator Chris Bradnam defended the crowd’s enthusiasm, suggesting it was not directly aimed at Djokovic:
“Just one singles match in this evening session, and the crowd wants to get their money’s worth. I think they want more, so they’re on the underdog side here. It’s not necessarily against Novak, but anything they can do to give the underdog a little advantage, they could do it. »
Djokovic’s concentration tested but intact
Despite the distractions, Djokovic kept his calm and continued with the set, showing the mental toughness that made him a 22-time Grand Slam champion.
This isn’t the first time Djokovic has faced a tough crowd. Known for his ability to thrive under pressure, the Serbian often turns such situations into fuel for his performance.
As he progresses deeper into the tournament, Djokovic will no doubt be hoping for a more supportive crowd—or at least a quieter crowd—as he targets an 11th Australian Open title.
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