The sideshow that’s Novak Djokovic took one more flip after his newest victory on the French Open.
The polarising Serbian battled previous Spanish twenty ninth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier to succeed in the spherical of 16 as he chases a document twenty third grand slam title.
But it was occasions within the press convention that adopted, seemingly with a few of his compatriots, that had folks speaking.
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Before the press convention correctly acquired underway, a reporter handed him quite a lot of presents, together with a bunch of bananas.
The complete episode helped shed no less than slightly gentle on his “Iron Man” magnet episode from a few days prior.
“Nole, congratulations,” a reporter says in Serbian, in feedback translated on social media. “Before we start, considering your team sometimes forgets to bring you bananas, dates and water, we prepared for you – bananas, dates.”
Djokovic cracked up then jumped in, saying: “Bananas, magnets, Iron Man, date,” earlier than laughing extra.
He then turned to a media official off digicam and mentioned: “We’ll explain later.”
After thanking the reporters and calling them “the best”, Djokovic put the French Open magnet to his chest and made an Iron Man pose earlier than holding up all of the presents for pictures.
Djokovic, the world No.3, has endured difficulties at occasions with journalists and followers throughout his two-decade profession.
He has typically bristled on the truth Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, his predominant contemporaries throughout this most up-to-date period on the high of males’s tennis, are broadly revered whereas he has not all the time been the most well-liked participant.
But he’s beloved in his dwelling nation and appears to completely get pleasure from his exchanges with native journalists, which are sometimes carried out in a a lot totally different temper to these with reporters from different nations.
This complete episode pertains to his second-round victory at Roland Garros, when he was requested afterwards about some gestures he was making in direction of his crew field.
“Bananas, dates and water,” he replied on the time. “I mean, I don’t understand. I ask them every time and they don’t understand me.
“So I show them this (gesturing), it means banana, this means date and this means water. And they don’t understand.”
Asked if the strikes had been associated to techniques, he replied: “Nothing. Just that. I mean, I don’t need tactics of any kind. What am I going to do with that?”
Djokovic and the journalists all began laughing earlier than the world No.3 continued.
“Every match, every time, it’s the same. I show them, we make an agreement before the match, and they still don’t understand. They bring me an apple.
“Who wants an apple? Then I find a pear. I can’t find a date. Unbelievable. Now they’re putting magnets on my body. All sorts of stuff. Incredible.”
Hence the journalists beginning his subsequent post-match press convention by giving him the sustenance he didn’t obtain from his crew.
It comes after a controversial begin to the match for Djokovic, who remains to be to really clarify the magnet he had taped to his chest.
He additionally made headlines for writing “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop violence” on the digicam lens after his first spherical victory, Djokovic stating afterwards he would do it once more.
The 36-year-old has additionally been concerned in a disagreement currently with fellow professional Cameron Norrie, after the Brit hit Djokovic with an overhead smash in final month’s Italian Open.
Djokovic was additionally closely booed throughout his victory over Davidovich Fokina for taking a medical time-out, with the group incomes the wrath of John McEnroe.
Who is aware of what is going to occur subsequent as Djokovic makes an attempt to tug one away from Nadal on all-time males’s grand slam singles titles?
Two-time French Open champion Djokovic, who has made the French Open quarter-finals in every of the previous 13 years, will tackle Peru’s Juan Pablo Varillas within the final 16 after his upset five-set victory over Polish thirteenth seed Hubert Hurkacz.
Source: www.news.com.au
