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Novak Djokovic knows that he is not an exemplary model when he loses the papers on a tennis court. You can’t help it.
Exactly two weeks after being disqualified from the US Open and the day after a chair umpire gave him a warning for breaking his racket, Djokovic received a warning Sunday for profaning an obscenity during the 7-5, 6- win. 3 over Casper Ruud in the semifinals of the Italian Open.
Unlike the two previous outbursts, this time fans were present on the pitch and could clearly hear the reaction of the world number one.
And beyond that, as 1,000 spectators were allowed to enter the Foro Italico in Rome for the first time this week, a significant proportion of those present were infants.
“I don’t want to do it, but it’s impossible,” Djokovic explained on Saturday. “This is how I can vent my anger. And it is not the best message I can give, especially for younger tennis players they have me as a model. It is not something that I encourage.”
Djokovic’s demeanor once again eclipsed his tennis, in a match in which he lifted two sets balls when Ruud served a 5-4 lead in the first set. He erased one of them with a ball that he subtly left short backhand.
The Serbian also served five aces in a single game to go up 6-5 in the first set.
Ruud, 21, the first Norwegian in the semi-final of a Masters 1000 and a product of Rafael Nadal’s academy, put up a stubborn resistance. He also starred in the play of the day: an acrobatic return to a balloon by Djokovic, turning to whip him, taking the signal of approval from his rival.
The obscenity warning was issued during the third game of the second set, with the Serb irritated by a series of previous decisions by the chair umpire.
Still, Djokovic went 30-1 this year. His only loss was expulsion from the US Open for accidentally hitting a lineswoman with a ball in the neck during the round of 16 match against Pablo Carreño Busta.
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