Novak Djokovic became the latest player to raise an issue with a spectator at the French Open as he asked the umpire to call hindrance during his second-round match.
The world No. 1 defeated Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4 6-1 6-2 on Thursday. And he was briefly booed when he approached the chair to complain about one fan in the crowd.
The French Open fans have been a talking point this week and Djokovic made his own argument on how to deal with hecklers in a match.
Djokovic was in trouble early on in his clash with the world No. 63 as he immediately went a break down. But he got back on serve and broke in the final game of the set to take it 6-4. There was an issue when Carballes Baena served at 4-5 as the 24-time Major winner approached the umpire for a chat.
And he later explained that a fan, who had been vocal throughout the match, took things too far by throwing him off in the middle of a point. “He shouted actually a few words during the rally,” Djokovic said. “I mean, when Carballes Baena made a drop shot and as I was running – he was there in the first row – and he started from the beginning of the match.”
The 37-year-old didn’t mind hearing the spectator cheer for his opponent but he felt affected by the shouting while the point was live. And he wanted to know whether it counted as an official hindrance.
Djokovic added: “He went on several times, which was fine, he was supporting my opponent, but I thought that this was a bit of a hindrance as he was so close and then, you know, as I was about to hit the ball, he was shouting. So that’s what I asked the chair umpire, but he explained that he cannot call that a hindrance. That’s it. Very simple.”
The three-time French Open champion also gave his thoughts on the crowd after several incidents in the first few days of the tournament. David Goffin said “someone spat out their chewing gum at me” after his first-round match and Iga Swiatek urged the fans not to call out mid-rally during her on-court interview after beating Naomi Osaka.
“They are very passionate fans, you know,” Djokovic said of the Roland Garros fans. “At times they are not easy, and I have been having some love affairs with the fans here, and also some tough matches, some tough seasons. I have experienced both sides. Obviously you always want to be the one that they support or at least have kind of a neutral atmosphere on the court, but it’s not possible always for that to happen.”
The Serb also felt empathetic towards Goffin, who claimed he was insulted and disrespected while facing French wildcard Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Court 14. He continued: “And in particular, cases when you’re playing against a French player like Goffin did or like I did first round, that’s where you have to just be aware that you’re going to into a big battle. Not just with your opponent.
“But in a sense, that’s normal, because they of course do everything to support their own home favorites, their own countrymen and countrywoman to win, particularly if they are underdogs, you know. I know that in the outside courts I saw a little bit of highlights of Goffin’s match and that they can be even more loud and inappropriate at times.”
Although he felt Wimbledon was different with its tradition, Djokovic said he wanted a good atmosphere and found it “beautiful” to hear fans chanting and singing to support players. But he also explained that there was a line.
He added: “You know, it’s a fine line when that line is passed, I guess, and when it starts becoming disrespectful towards the player. In those instances, I understand that, you know, a player like Goffin the other day reacted, because I have experienced quite a few times those particular situations.”
Djokovic has sometimes hit back at those who have heckled him and is known for conducting crowds when the boo him. And he admitted that sometimes it was necessary. “So I support a player standing up, you know, against people who are disrespecting and heckling him. It’s not always possible, you know, to tolerate. Of course it’s very much needed, because you don’t want to be spending unnecessary energy elsewhere. But, you know, at times you just have to face somebody that is heckling you. That’s all you can do,” he smiled.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk