After Rafael Nadal overcame Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a tight third-round match on Friday, the tennis player criticized French Open spectators as being “disrespectful.”
In pursuit of his third Roland Garros championship and a men’s record 23rd Grand Slam victory, Djokovic defeated the 34th-ranked Spaniard 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 to advance to the round of 16 for the fourteenth time in a row.The 36-year-old Djokovic, a divisive figure in tennis, gave the audience a thumbs-up and a mocking round of applause.
He frustratedly threw the ball aloft in the third set, which drew more jeers.Djokovic mimicked his tormentors’ boos and nodded his head wearily in acknowledgment, making fun of them.”I believe that most visitors come to watch tennis matches or to cheer on their favorite player. However, some people like making fun of everything you do, Djokovic remarked.
I find that to be disrespectful, and to be honest, I don’t understand. But they have that right. The ticket was purchased by them. What they want to do is up to them.”I actually will not say anything 99 percent of the time, but on occasion I will object because I believe that if someone is being disrespectful, they should be held accountable.”The day after American player Taylor Fritz put his finger to his lips to quiet supporters after eliminating Arthur Rinderknech, the final French player in the draw, Djokovic began to have problems with the infamously antagonistic Paris crowd.
