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By Blair Henley / Saturday, January 17, 2014
Novak Djokovic rallies the often fickle tennis fan base as
he makes his way through the 2014 Australian Open draw.
Photo Credit: Mark Peterson / Corleve
MELBOURNE, Australia — Ask any tennis fan what they
think about Novak Djokovic and you are bound
to get an impassioned response. As if they are picking the
petals off a daisy, people either love him or love him not –
there is no middle ground. When he’s matched up against the
sport’s other top stars, his cheering section shrinks all the
more.
Though he’s been one of the most dominant players on the ATP
Tour over the last four years, the 26-year-old Serb has
struggled to attain the universal love and admiration fans
lavish on Roger Federer, Rafael
Nadal or even Juan Martin del Potro.
The effect is so noticeable that his recent decision to bring
Germany’s Boris Becker on board as coach was
seen as a possible bid to gain popularity
by association. When asked about the fickle tennis fan
base, Djokovic was predictably diplomatic.
“Well, look, you know, I try to focus on my own fans,” he said
after his third-round win at the Australian Open. “There’s
plenty of them. I feed on their energy and their support.
Of course, I mean, I cannot be angry on the people who are
supporting my opponent. It’s all sport. It’s
normal; you have your preferred players, you have your
favorites. You have to deal with it.”
Commitment to the Cause
Unlike many of the most polarizing sports stars, Djokovic
appears to genuinely care what people think about him. His
behavior confirms as much.
His commitment to entertaining and engaging his fans is beyond
compare. He regularly
dances on the court. He has emerged from the locker room in
costume. Whether he’s popping his head into Maria
Sharapova’s
press conferences, imitating his
fellow players (to a T), or posting grin-worthy videos
on social media, it’s clear he has a fun-loving
personality. He is a
born entertainer, even when locked in the heat of battle.
He takes delight in winning, no doubt, but enjoys an added
boost when he has successfully given fans what they paid
for.
And it doesn’t stop with the spectators. Djokovic has made it a
tradition to hand out gourmet chocolate – the kind that comes
wrapped in a bow – to the members of the media during his first
and last press conferences of the year. Though he’s generally
careful to avoid controversy (unless he’s talking about his
Serbian friends), Djokovic’s responses to media questions
are articulate and intelligent. Off the court, he and his
fiancée are deeply entrenched in work for the Novak Djokovic
Foundation, a charity Djokovic founded for underprivileged
children in Serbia.
But, no matter how hard he tries to sow the seeds of goodwill,
he doesn’t seem to reap appropriate dividends. Who could forget
his 2011 US Open
semifinal match against Roger Federer where he overcame a
hostile crowd and a two-set deficit to advance to the final?
Last year in Madrid, fans booed Djokovic
during his loss to Grigor Dimitrov.
Weeks later he faced a decidedly pro-Nadal crowd during their
five-set French Open semifinal. The list goes on.
Mystery Solved?
So, is it possible that fans still hold Djokovic’s turbulent
first years on tour against him? He undoubtedly ruffled some
feathers as a rookie. He was notorious for quitting in the
middle of a match or tournament, whether that meant withdrawing
with an injury or simply checking out mentally. Even worse, he
was well known for whining, to himself or to his box, when the
screws of competition were tightened. Combined, those
factors made it easy to question his commitment to the game.
But sports fans are famous for forgetting the transgressions of
their heroes. Kobe Bryant, Tiger
Woods and Andy Pettitte are just some
athletes who have been let off the hook – and they were accused
of sexual assault, infidelity and performance-enhancing drug
use. Surely Djokovic’s former penchant for injury timeouts is a
forgivable offense, right?
Or perhaps fans bristle at the fact that Djokovic disrupted the
harmonious rivalry between Federer and Nadal. Neither has been
safe since Djokovic’s breakout season in 2011.
“I think it’s difficult when you ruffle the feathers of Federer
and Nadal because they have such strong fan bases,” said Neil
Harman, tennis correspondent for The Times and author of
Court Confidential: Inside the World of Tennis.
“There was an acceptable camaraderie between them and Novak
came along and spoiled it. He’s upset both sides of the
spectrum.”
Might his homeland have something to do with it? Serbia, a
small country near the coast of the Adriatic Sea, is a
lesser-known quantity for fans than the athletic powerhouse of
Spain or the postcard perfect Switzerland.
“People don’t understand the mentality, I think, of the
Balkans,” Harman told Tennis Now. “You look at their
history, and they are fighters. They are a courageous people
who have battled against the odds over the years. That
sometimes unnerves people.”
As fan support goes, Australia has become a safe haven of sorts
for the Serb. The affable Aussies appreciate his effort here,
four Australian Open titles later. It’s easy to wonder if
American fans would feel the same if those Grand Slam victories
had come at the US Open instead. But, given Djokovic’s track
record, he’ll continue striving for acceptance no matter what.
The question is, will it matter?
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