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Novak Djokovic also thanks the fans when they are away.
Novak Djokovic after the 6: 1, 6: 4, 6: 1 victory over Damir Dzumhur.
The first night session (humorless) of the 2020 US Open: There are even fewer people in the stadium during the night game than during the day.
Neck problems, which Novak Djokovic slightly impaired last week, have yet to be 100 percent cured, even if Djokovic no longer had to be treated on the field against Dzumhur.
Focus on Novak Djokovic at the US Open
Novak Djokovic also thanks the fans when they are away.
Novak Djokovic after the 6: 1, 6: 4, 6: 1 victory over Damir Dzumhur.
The first night session (humorless) of the 2020 US Open: There are even fewer people in the stadium during the night game than during the day.
Neck problems, which Novak Djokovic slightly impaired last week, have yet to be 100 percent cured, even if Djokovic no longer had to be treated on the field against Dzumhur.
At the US Open, as throughout the coronavirus break, almost everything revolves around Novak Djokovic. One thing is clear: the image of the world’s number one is not as good as his tennis.
Novak Djokovic really didn’t want to talk about sports politics after the 6: 1, 6: 4, 6: 1 win over Bosnian Damir Dzumhur. Still, he mentioned two examples that show just how little players are involved in his tour.
Last Thursday, when the semifinals of the first tournament at the New York “Bubble” were postponed one day due to Naomi Osaka’s protest, no one consulted the semifinalists. Djokovic learned of the cancellation shortly before the game’s scheduled start via WhatsApp. And during the match against Dzumhur, Djokovic was upset that the time between two rallies had shortened compared to the previous week.
The 25-second timer, which determines when the next ball should be in play, starts much earlier at the US Open than it did last week during the test tournament. “Nobody let the players know. The rules are changed and nobody says anything. That is not fair or acceptable. “
“Not much has changed in the race for the Grand Slam trophies”
So far, the big (and mostly self-caused) uproar about himself hasn’t had an impact on Djokovic’s performance. Djokovic brings the same intensity to center court, regardless of whether they are watching 20,000 or 200. When the echo of his victory cry echoed through the nearly empty Louis Armstrong Stadium, it was terrifying.
Intensity is the most important thing, says Djokovic, “because it shows that I care how I play. I always try to bring a lot of energy to the field.
During the coronavirus pandemic, many people, including tennis stars, took it easy. New priorities and goals came to the fore. But not with Djokovic! “Obviously it’s not like eight months ago when we played in front of empty ranks,” the Serb said after last week’s tournament win. “But from the perspective of Roger (Federer), Rafa (Nadal), myself and our race for the Grand Slam trophies, not much has changed.”
In this race, Federer leads with 20 titles ahead of Nadal (19) and Djokovic (17). In late January, Djokovic won his 17th major title in Australia. The cancellation of Wimbledon, where he would have been defending champion, hit Djokovic harder than Federer (injured) or Nadal (less effective on grass). The fact that his main rivals are now following the US Open from a distance does not worry him at all.
Already more than 60 players for the ATPA
He’s also not distracted by his winning streak (24-0 wins this season), though he admits from time to time to wondering if it’s possible to never lose for an entire year. Djokovic: «I think it is possible. But I don’t expect it. “
Novak Djokovic is far more concerned with his image than with statistics, which he has continued to suffer during the coronavirus crisis. He first spoke out publicly against vaccines, then the (well-intentioned) Adria-Tour project was wrecked, then he exposed most tennis professionals against the restart with tournaments in the USA, and finally surprised last weekend the announcement of the formation of a new players union.
This new Association of Professional Tennis Players (ATPA) has already joined more than 60 players, that is, half of the individual players gathered in the New York bubble, despite opposition from Federer and Nadal.
Why is Djokovic doing this to himself?
Djokovic may be the best player on the tour right now. But it is not popular. The Serbian suffers from this. Nick Kyrgios once said that Djokovic was obsessed with being loved. At the Australian Open, Djokovic handed out chocolate to journalists and wished them a great year. Despite all efforts, Djokovic didn’t even begin to catch up with the popularity Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal enjoy on tour. The activities of the past days and months have further damaged Djokovic’s reputation.
It is unclear why Djokovic does this to himself. Why are you opposing Federer and Nadal in the biggest phase of the year? Before two Grand Slam tournaments, why are you wasting energy on such a dry subject as sports politics in seven weeks? Especially since he attributed the semi-final defeat at the French Open to Dominic Thiem to the fact that he had been too distracted from the tournament in the spring of 2019, when he was already involved in sports politics (due to the removal of Chris Kermode as president of ATP).
At the moment, Djokovic is doing an excellent job. He runs from victory to victory and faces England’s Kyle Edmund on Wednesday. Djokovic has long convinced tennis experts. But he has not yet won the hearts of the fans. This task could occupy him even more than conquering the Grand Slam record.
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