Novak Djokovic mocks Wimbledon crowd after boos during semi-final win

Novak Djokovic mocked the Wimbledon crowd by pretending to cry during his semi-final win over Jannik Sinner.

While the Serbian is making history with virtually every victory – and a 6-3 6-4 7-6 (4) win in his record-equalling 46th grand slam semi-final earned him a record-breaking 35th final – he is clearly not every tennis fan’s glass of Pimm’s.

After racing into a two-set lead, crowd favourite Sinner threatened to win the third, only for the wily Djokovic to foil him. As he did, there were a few boos. Then, as Djokovic just held his serve to make it 5-5 in the third set, he mockingly pretended to look upset and cry.

As is often the case with Djokovic, opinion among tennis fans was split over his antics.

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One said: “People in comments saying he’s awful and not nice like Federer and Nadal… when were those two players heckled by the audience repeatedly, every single match, for years?! Awful audience! I wish he wins every single Wimbledon until retirement just because of them!”

A second added: “Why do your [BBC] commentators never actually call out the disrespect of the crowd? Djokovic is being heckled, people making noise between serves & people applauding his service faults! Djokovic REACTED to that and yet they make him out to be the bad guy! Constantly twisting it!”

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But another argued: “It’s this kind of spoiled child reaction that causes people to not warm to him in the same way that they did to Federer & Nadal.”

One fan made their feeling clear, blasting: “Is there a more detestable player in tennis? I think not!”

That was far from the only flashpoint in the match as Djokovic also clashed with umpire Richard Haigh, who call a hindrance against him at 15-15 in the fourth game of the second set.

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Djokovic had suddenly let out a loud and late grunt after hitting a backhand down the line that he probably expected to be a winner only for Sinner to reach it. It is unusual for a grunt to elicit a hindrance ruling and Djokovic reacted with disbelief, saying to Haigh: “You must be joking. Calling that in the semi-final of Wimbledon? What are you doing?”

Haigh then gave Djokovic a time violation for taking too long on his serve in the same game but the reigning champion managed to keep his cool.

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