British tennis legend Tim Henman has offered his views on the abuse Novak Djokovic suffered at the hands of supporters during the Australian Open last month
Tim Henman has slammed the Australian Open tennis fans who booed Novak Djokovic off court last month, branding their actions “indefensible”.
The Serbian was forced to withdraw midway through his semi-final clash with Alexander Zverev, denying him the chance to win an all-time record 25th Grand Slam title. Throughout the tournament, Djokovic had faced relentless jeers from spectators, and the hostility continued as he exited the Rod Laver Arena after retiring with a hamstring injury.
Speaking to Mirror Sport, former British No. 1 Henman insisted there was no excuse for the crowd’s behaviour, though did acknowledge that Djokovic’s on-court antics often needlessly attracted trouble. “I think the fans got it totally wrong,” the 50-year-old said.
“For someone who is going for their 11th Australian Open title, their 25th slam, to pull out after a set, he’s obviously in a bad way. For him to be booed in that moment is pretty indefensible.
“However, I’m not on social media, but what I hear goes on with him and his fans, it’s chaos isn’t it. And there have been times when he’s probably attracted that. But he absolutely doesn’t deserve to be booed off court after he’s had to retire.”
Henman went on to speculate whether Djokovic’s abrasive in-game demeanour stemmed from his desire to receive the same level of admiration that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal effortlessly command. “I think if you dig a bit deeper, in my opinion, he’s always craved the affection that’s been shown to Federer and Nadal,” he said.
“And some people I guess don’t like that, that he behaves in that way. But that whole thing isn’t really my scene. You look at what he’s achieved, you look at almost every stat and he’s the best in all of them. He’s phenomenal.”
Djokovic, 37, has always had a complicated relationship with tennis fans. His relentless competitiveness, unbreakable self-confidence, and fiery on-court attitude have earned him both loyal supporters and vocal critics over the years.
Many laud him for his steely determination and unwavering fighting spirit, though others are put off by his brash assertiveness, particularly when comparing him to Federer and Nadal, who were typically more self-effacing on-court than the Serb.
Things escalated in January 2022 when Djokovic was deported from Australia due to the fact he hadn’t been vaccinated against Covid-19. Despite initially receiving an exemption from the Australian government, allowing him to compete in that year’s Australian Open, public pressure eventually forced a U-turn and, subsequently, Djokovic’s deportation.
In the months that followed, Djokovic’s unwavering stance on the issue solidified his reputation as a polarising figure, both in sporting and political terms. The Belgrade native explained that he wasn’t ‘anti-vaccination’ but that he staunchly defended the right to bodily autonomy, and was prepared to give up his tennis career to do so.
Nonetheless, his stance only amplified his critics, which in turn seems to have fuelled Djokovic’s increasingly defiant behaviour during matches. Now, nearly everywhere he plays, the 24-time Grand Slam champion is cast as the villain – a role he has, at times, embraced willingly.
Djokovic’s withdrawal from last month’s Australian Open means he’s now gone 16 months without winning a major title – his longest drought 2018. He needs to win just one more Grand Slam to move above Margaret Court and cement himself as the most statistically successful tennis player of all time. But with injuries piling up, Father Time slowly catching up to him, and the competition around him growing stronger, 2025 may be a case of now or never.
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