Novak Djokovic blasts ‘disrespect’ from Wimbledon crowd – but mistakes ‘Rune!’ for boos

Ben Rothenberg on Twitter: “Paranoid or not, fragile or not, immature or not, this version of Djokovic is so, so much more authentic and enjoyable than the heart-throwing nonsense of a decade ago. Glad he’s speaking his truth these last few years.”

Does he get treated disrespectfully?

Does he really care or is it all part of a motivation strategy?

Let us know in the comments below.

The other example I would offer is England cricket fans saluting batting great Joe Root with “Rooooooooot’. I mean, I’m not saying that people weren’t booing Djokovic or that people don’t like baiting him. But you didn’t really get a sense from the TV that it was all that hostile. People used to shout ‘Ruud’ as well at van Nistelrooj didn’t they? As I recall.

“When Sue Barker came out the other day people who shouting ‘Suuuuuuuuuuuue’. I don’t think it’s booing.”

“Crowds need to understand not to poke the bear.”

Djokovic takes the admiring if not strictly adoring applause from the centre court crowd. He holds his tennis racket like a violin and plays it. Hard chap to like but obviously quite handy at the old tennis. Certainly in a different league to his opponent today.

Now he’s going to have a few words with dear Rishi Persad.

“Tough start for him, not sure he played his best to be honest,” says Djokovic. “He lost the first 12 points and I think that got to him mentally. It can be stressful waiting to come out on court. Very solid, very glad to get through.”

“To all the fans that have respect and stayed here tonight, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I appreciate it.

“To all those that have chosen to disrespect the player, in this case me, have a gooooooooood night. Gooooood night. Very gooooood night.” 

He’s elongating the ‘o’ to make it sounds like ‘boo’. Rishi suggests that they were perhaps saying ‘Ruuuune’...

Djokovic: “No, I don’t accept it. No no no. They were. I know they were cheering for Rune but that’s an excuse, they also boo. I have been on the tour for 20 years. so trust me I know all the tricks. It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s OK. I focused on respectful people that have respect that paid a ticket to come along and watch tonight and love tennis and appreciate the efforts that the players put in here. I played in much more hostile environments, trust me, you guys can’t touch me.”

Note: I’ve just read that his daughter has taken up the violin, she was in the crowd and he was gesturing to her. So presumably the whole ‘playing the violin in mock pity’ thing isn’t currency in Belgrade. Might need to gather some expert views on that.

Simply too good. Wraps that up and it’s game, set and match.

Djokovic stays in a point that he should have lost three or four times.

Rune soon in big trouble again at 15-40.

Saves the first BP.  But double faults on the next one and it’s a double break of serve.

Ok, now or never. Rune has taken the Djokovic serve to deuce and Novak has fallen over a coupla times in this game.

Big point. Net cord. Net cord. Rune with some dogged defence, Djokovic hits the ball into the net. It’s a break point and, as I say, if not now then when?

Commanding wide serve and no nonsense volley from Djokovic. Deuce.

Wraps up the game and it’s hard to stay positive for Rune, his supporters and indeed your hapless live blogger.

Chris Bascombe: “Show some respect to a champion,” yelled a Djokovic fan after he saw off a rare break point. His majesty on the biggest points is spellbinding. It’s like converting a penalty kick in the shoot-out every time. In the top corner.

Rune holds to love, hopefully that is a building block. Chris Bascombe: “Rune’s potential is immense but if he fails to launch the mother of all comebacks you can’t help but feel the occasion has got to him, and he will reflect that he had much more to give. First it was the aura of the court with those early nerves. Since then it has been the aura of the opponent.”

Great run and get from Rune as he races to get a volley and somehow flicks it past Djokovic to take it to 30-30. But the great champion reasserts his authority and it’s 3-1 with Novak a break up.

Rune holds.

Kyrgios: “It’s not a fun place to be for Rune. He doesn’t know what to do. The crowd are doing everything possible to keep Holger out here.”

Djokovic holds.

Well if you were coaching Rune you’d obviously tell him just to hang in there as long as possible, try to take the points deep and test the opponent’s fitness.

Instead, he’s managed to lose his service game in two seconds flat and this really does feel like it’s a matter of time now.

“This may become the most anti-climactic match of the championships, promising so much more than it has delivered. Djokovic is revelling in being the anti-hero, blowing kisses to a crowd which is not disguising its support for Rune. Maybe he thinks they’re booing him? Either way, we’re seeing the excitable child from Denmark being schooled by the wily veteran from Serbia.”

Djoko with a mighty overhead, Rune somehow gets it back. Djokovic wins the point and exhorts the crowd. But here’s a possible moment for Rune. 30-30.

This is the closest to parity Rune has had. He wins a long baseline rally and he has a break point

Djokovic saves it with a serve and a winner.

Absolute quality from ND on the next point. “The best backhand in the history of tennis,” says Kyrgios as ND hits a screaming winner.

Djokovic holds his serve and wins the second set.

I mean obviously I’m not saying it’s easy playing Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. But Rune will kick himself if he gives this up too quickly because maybe, just maybe, Djokovic has a physical issue that could hamper him. Rune’s serving is not good enough and he soon finds himself 0-40. At least make him work, no?

But then Djokovic suddenly makes a couple of errors and Rune starts to deliver and he gets it back to deuce.

Poor play at the net from Rune, though, and it’s another break point at 40-A. Brilliant backhand crosscourt from Rune, Djokovic leaps into a splits and fails to return. More importantly, though, his knee is okay.

Djokovic will not go away in this game.

It’s now a fifth set point. Rune needs to get a first serve in. Fails. Rare error from Djoko.

A third deuce.

Rune wraps the game up with an ace! Well done lad.

John McEnroe: “Pedestrian serving by Rune is costing him. He’s giving Djokovic too many chances.”

Djokovic still does not look comfortable and he has been trying to offer information to his box about the source of his issue. The service lapse from Rune was the perfect painkiller. The Dane has missed a trick in this set. The crowd is Pimms-ed up and shouting ‘Rune’ every time he wins a point. They’re ready to explode for him but Djokovic is doing what Djokovic does, his consistency sucking the life out of the opponent and, in all likelihood, the idea of this becoming a contest.

Djokovic holds.

Laura Robson for the BBC: “I am spending most of my time watching Djokovic between the points here, There’s not much of a reaction. Still deep breaths. There’s certainly something going on with his body. I feel that Rune’s so focused on his side of net, he’s not really seeing that Djokovic is struggling at the same time.”

Poor from Rune. He’s 40-30 up and he tries a clever-clever little drop shot thing from the back of the court. Loses the next point as well and he’s put himself under pressure at 40-A. Serves down the T. Given in but Djokovic challenges successfully. Pressure, pressure. EXCELLENT kick serve from Rune and he wins the point. Deuce. Break point saved.

Long baseline rally. Rune cracks first. Another break point.

Djokovic breaks serve.

If that was Djokovic going off to drop a deuce, then you have to admire his speed and efficiency at that as well.

Anyhow, he is serving here and Rune is in the game for a while at least. It’s 40-30 but Rune overhits.

Chris Bascombe: “Medical sleuths might suggest Djokovic suffered an abdominal strain forcing him to leave the court. The more mischievous will be wondering if he had a dodgy curry last night and had to take swift action. It happens to the best of us, sometimes...”
 

Rune is looking better on serve. Wins this one with something in hand. Djokovic runs off the court after the game, not sure if that is fitness, toilet or just a bit of gamesmanship from the wily old campaigner to stall young buck Rune, who has built up something of a head of steam.

He’s back within a couple of minutes.

Chris Bascombe: “Djokovic was holding his stomach after a long rally in his last service game, and then again in between points. He’s not averse to looking in physical trouble before steamrolling the opponent, but it is another positive sign for the Dane who is looking increasingly comfortable on his own serve.”

Here’s a moment. Rune looking more confident, produces a terrific crosscourt that somehow Djokovic gets back but Rune ties up the point and, at 15-30, this is the closest he has come to having a chance. Djokovic’s serve is powerful, Rune can only really dolly it back and there’s something particularly savage about the way Djokovic chooses to win the point: he could play one of several shots but goes for a rather smug little chipped volley as if to rub Rune’s nose in it. Wraps the game up after that.

Chris Bascombe: “Credit to Rune. The match could have gone away from him without a solid start to the second set. There are positive signs, albeit playing catch-up to a player of Djokovic’s class is akin to chasing a runaway train.”

Djokovic chips a backhand slice from the back of the court into the net. 30-0. Unreturned serve 40-0. Holds. Baby steps but he’s making some headway.

At the end of the game, Djokovic is having a word with the umpire and is laughing about something. Not sure if that’s a humorous exchange, although frankly I doubt it, or if Djokovic is querying something and laughing sardonically at the response.

Rune playing with more authority, he’s got Djokovic under, well not exactly pressure but something to think about, at 15-30. But Djokovic focuses in and raises his service level. Game Novak.

Better for Rune. Djokovic with a couple of unforced errors and Rune holds with something to spare.

The good news for Rune is he has improved after the nervous start which cost him the early break and ultimately the first set. The bad news is he is facing a maestro intent on making a statement. There was an expectation this match would do well to be finished before the 11pm curfew. Djokovic’s sizzling ground strokes make it clear he wants it done by 9pm in three sets. Rune is looking more competitive, though, with the crowd yearning for a proper duel.

He made a very hot start, Rune looked nervous and like he was over-reaching on his serves. Djokovic raced to 3-0 and, while Rune got into it a bit, he never had Novak’s serve under any pressure. Going to be a short and painful evening for H Rune at this rate.

Can Rune do anything on the Novak serve? It’s soon 30-0. Rare unforced error from the Serb gives Rune a toehold, kinda, at 30-15. Djokovic fails to bury a smash, some excellent scrambling defence from Rune gives him an opportunity... but he fires into the net from close range. Shame. Djokovic with an ace down the centre and that’s game and the first set to Djokovic.

Better service game from Rune, serving hard, mixing it up, coming to the net where necessary. 

Djokovic holds his serve.

Laura Robson has a view for the BBC: “Sometimes you wonder whether Rune is just overthinking at times because in these big matches the nerves are on show.”

Rune made to work hard to hold his serve. But hold he does.

Hint of a sniff for Rune at 30-15 but Djokovic reasserts authority. His net play is delightfully precise.

Chris Bascombe: “Starting to think that strapping on Djokovic’s knee is no more than a fashion accessory. No signs whatsoever of discomfort.”

Better serving here and Rune is on the board.

Rune has yet to win a point. It’s 30-0. Djokovic with a clever drop volley. Rune cannot get there. 40-0. Djokovic on top of the next rally as well. Game to love. 12 points played, 12 points won by Djokovic.

“Rune’s heart rate seems to be pounding. He’s looking to serve big not percentage.”

Djokovic starting hot. He’s dominating the first couple of points of the service game here, moving Rune around with precision until an opening emerges. 0-30. Rune double faults. 0-40. Rune needs his second serve, Djokovic returns with interest, and then Rune slaps it into the net. Break of service.

Chris Bascombe: “Rune’s shocking first service game was all about the experienced campaigner against the anxious wannabe.”

A highly efficient service game from Djokovic that he wins without any fuss.

There is usually a post-epic lull after a match like Fritz v Zverev, but there was a palpable buzz around Centre Court as Djokovic and Rune emerged. 

“I quite fancy Djokovic to lose this,” has been the sentiment of the day. He usually relishes silencing the doubters, and I suspect he will be fighting the crowd. Again.

He’s all in white, grey knee brace. Rune all white, white baseball cap on backwards.

“First round, he was okay. You wouldn’t have known he’d had op. Third round is the best I have seen Novak move, you can never underestimate him, he can still do this.”

Gareth Bale in the crowd.

Clare Balding: “Do you know who he is, Nick?

Kyrgios: “Yes, Bale, used to play for Tottenham.”

McEnroe: “Very good golfer. I played with him at Augusta. He’s annoyingly good.”

This was an astonishing turnaround from Taylor Fritz on Centre Court to win in five sets. The American played well despite losing the first two sets but was thwarted by Alexander Zverev’s precision and few mistakes, which meant limited break point opportunities.

And then it all changed. Zverev went from a combined nine unforced errors over the first two sets to 11 in the third, hindered by an apparent knee injury while also producing two double faults as his form deserted him. Fritz raced into a 4-0 lead in the fourth set tie break to draw level before finishing stronger in the fifth, with both players speaking at length at the net afterwards. Fritz, the 13th seed, is now back in the quarter-finals following his first appearance in 2022.

is doing some commentary, also with John McEnroe. Something of a mutual appreciation society they’ve got going on there.

Fritz has battled back from two sets down to win three two and knock out Zverev. That’s a magnificent win because Zverev had been playing superbly.

So time for Djokovic and Rune.

has gone to a tie-break in the fourth and it looks like the American player is firmly in control of it. 5-1 up. 

And he’s won the breaker and taken us to a fifth set. The days of Isner vs Mahut though have been and gone, they will have a tie break if needed in this fifth set so I guess Djokovic should be in action by 1930.

Good news for fans of handsome American Taylor Fritz, he’s battling back and has taken the third set. Sasha Zverev still leads 2-1 though. All of which means that Djokovic can have an extra cup of herbal tea or however it is he prepares these days.

after Zverev’s match on centre. The great Serbian player faces the first major test of his form and fitness when he takes on Holger Rune.

The Dane has been talked about as a potential part of a new ‘big three’ alongside Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

If he is to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time, he will have to do something he has never done that Alcaraz and Sinner have - beat an original ‘big three’ player at a grand slam.

Rune has two wins in his five matches against 24-time grand-slam champion Djokovic, but lost when they met at the US Open in 2021.

Djokovic, a seven-time champion, was doubtful for Wimbledon after having knee surgery following his French Open exit.

But Rune said: “I know he did his surgery, but honestly I practised with him in the first week, and I saw him playing a little bit. He seems like he’s playing very well, feeling confident. Definitely have to play on my best level to have a chance to win, so that’s what I’m going to try to do.”

They’re betting 1-3 about Djokovic with Rune at 5-2. Rare to get odds even that long on Novak in a head to head over recent years but I guess you’re punting on his fitness as much as anything. He’ll no doubt be doing some limbering up and prep as we speak but it’s unclear exactly when the match will start. Zverev is two sets up against American Fritz and it’s on serve in the third. 

I certainly fancy Rune to put up a fight and maybe try to take the match deep.

Albeit that Djokovic’s career record is an intimidating 40-11 in five-setters.

“I enjoyed those throughout my career,” he said. “They’re an important aspect of the history and of the future, as well, of the sport.”