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(Reuters) – Novak Djokovic has proven to be unbeatable on the court this year, but Sunday’s dramatic disqualification from the US Open was not the first time a questionable judgment has had unintended consequences for the world number one.
Djokovic exited the Grand Slam after hitting a linesman with the ball and can expect intense criticism in the coming days, similar in nature to what followed his Adria Tour.
The 33-year-old has long displayed a fierce desire to be considered a statesman of the game in the same way as Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, his “Big Three” teammates.
The Adria Tour was an altruistic effort aimed at raising money for charities, and the players association he launched before the US Open aims to provide a platform for his fellow professionals.
Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams’ longtime coach, said Djokovic might have taken on too much off the court besides trying to extend a 26-game winning streak and clinch an 18th Grand Slam.
“Trying to win this US Open was already a big goal,” Mouratoglou said on Twitter.
“Starting this players association and a campaign to convince players to be part of it is a full-time job and a lot of added stress. No one can afford to lose focus during a (Grand Slam).”
Sunday’s incident could still have an impact on the bodies of the separatist players, as their success depended, at least in part, on their stature in the game. Federer and Nadal, who missed the US Open, have voiced their opposition to the move.
His apology for the incident on the Arthur Ashe stadium court was the second time in three months that Djokovic presented a public mea culpa.
After much criticism of the Adria Tour, which was held around June with the best male players from the Balkans, he accepted that organizing it had been a mistake.
While the live tennis action was a welcome sight during the COVID-19 shutdown, the scenes of crowded stands, players hugging and posing for photos, and dancing shirtless in a club were jarring despite the event not breaking any. local health protocol.
As fate would have it, Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all tested positive for the new coronavirus after playing in the tournament.
‘WITCH HUNT’
Djokovic found the resulting criticism “malicious” and complained of a witch hunt against him.
A furor followed in April after he suggested that he would oppose vaccination against COVID-19 if competing on the tour were mandatory.
In a follow-up statement, Djokovic, who also sparked controversy when he was seen training at a Marbella club in May in violation of Spain’s lockdown rules, said he would keep an open mind about vaccination.
He also took a 180-degree turn from his earlier statements that competing in the 2020 US Open would be “impossible” due to strict COVID-19 protocols.
If his many fans expected the focus to shift to its imperious form in 2020 once he arrived in New York, Djokovic had other plans.
On the eve of the tournament he announced that he had resigned as chairman of the ATP Players Council to launch the Professional Tennis Players Association and questions about the new body duly dominated his press conferences.
Skipping your media obligations on Sunday after your disqualification will cost you up to $ 20,000 in addition to the $ 250,000 fine already imposed.
While few players were willing to argue against his disqualification, the severity of the fine imposed on Djokovic did not sit well with everyone.
“Am I the only one who thinks 260k good is a little steep?” American Ryan Harrison wrote on Twitter.
“That is what entire teams are fined for incidents of illegal handling and use of PED.
“This was accidental …”
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by Nick Mulvenney and Peter Rutherford)
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