Novak Djokovic, who is no stranger to dealing with rowdy spectators, faced a particularly challenging situation during his second-round match against Enzo Couacaud at the Australian Open. On Thursday, during the fourth set, Djokovic became visibly agitated and complained to chair umpire Fergus Murphy about the disruptive behavior of certain fans.
Throughout the match, Djokovic’s serve routines were repeatedly interrupted by shouts and provocations from the crowd. He pointed out one fan in particular, accusing him of being “drunk out of his mind” and intent on distracting him. “From the first point, he’s been provoking me.
He’s not here to watch tennis; he just wants to get in my head,” Djokovic said to the umpire. “What are you going to do about it? Get him out of the stadium.” The fans in question, who were dressed in red and white striped ‘Where’s Waldo?’ costumes, were eventually removed from the venue after the match concluded.
Craig Tiley, the head of Tennis Australia, had previously announced that disruptive fans would be expelled to maintain a respectful environment: “If they disrupt the enjoyment of anyone else – boom, they are out,” Tiley stated.
Former British No. 1 Laura Robson noted that Djokovic’s frustration was understandable given the level of heckling. “In a stadium like Rod Laver, where you can hear everything from the court, it’s natural for Djokovic to feel agitated by persistent taunts,” Robson commented. “The proximity of the fans to the court exacerbates the issue.”
Djokovic, who is currently battling a hamstring injury sustained the previous week, managed to win the match 6-1 6-7(5-7) 6-2 6-0 despite the interruptions and his injury. He had taken a medical timeout during the second set to address the issue.
The situation bore similarities to an incident from last year’s Wimbledon final, where Nick Kyrgios also requested the removal of a disruptive fan. Kyrgios had criticized the fan for being excessively drunk, which led to legal action and an eventual settlement.
In Djokovic’s case, the disruption from the fans overshadowed his on-court challenges, including his ongoing injury, but he was able to secure victory with a strong finish to the match.