The second round match played by Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open 2023 against Enzo Couacaud, saw the Serbian call the chair umpire to stop a fan dressed as Waldo, who he said was drunk.
The Belgradean explained both to the umpire of the match and to the journalists present in the press room that some individuals insulted and provoked him from the first point of the match and that it is necessary to intervene first in order not to escalate the situation.
Djokovic, during the fourth set, when he was already one break ahead, lost his patience and specifically asked the chair umpire to do something.
“That boy is blind drunk!” Djokovic asks the umpire to kick out a fan
“That boy is dead drunk, he’s not here to watch tennis. He’s been teasing me from the first point, he’s trying to get inside my head. You have to do something, you have to kick him out!”Ā said the Serbian.
One of the security personnel in the stands took such a seat near the position where the protagonist of the story was present, that he decided to kick out during the change of court
The match continued without further problems and Djokovic, despite the evident discomfort in his left leg, gained access to the third round of the Australian Open. The Serbian said he was very worried about his playing conditions, but explained that he will do everything to continue his journey in Melbourne.
“The story involved a few individuals, so I don’t want to generalize. Most people have been respectful, both now and in the past. They are big fans and buy tickets to see you play. Some are rooting for you, some are not. I have no problems with this. The problem arises when someone crosses the line numerous times. From the first moment I heard some guys under the influence of alcohol, one in particular, screaming several times. He insulted me, tried to provoke me and said things that weren’t respectful at all,ā Djokovic explained at a press conference.
In the first match played in Melbourne after the case that erupted last year, when he was forced to miss the Australian Open 2023 due to visa revocation, Novak Djokovic had no problem with the spectators present at the Rod Laver Arena and was welcomed in best of ways.
Below you cab watch theĀ video shared by Eurosport:
Djokovic perde la testa contro Waldo š”šŗ#EurosportTENNIS | #AusOpen | #AO2023 | #Djokovichttps://t.co/0OvfNnh8y7
ā Eurosport IT (@Eurosport_IT) January 19, 2023