Novak Djokovic, the renowned tennis player, caused a stir when he told British fans to “shut up” and show respect during the Davis Cup quarter-final match in Malaga. A video of Djokovic’s outburst quickly went viral on social media platforms. The match, attended by a crowd of 5,000 people supporting Great Britain, witnessed Djokovic reacting to their cheers by cupping his ears and blowing kisses. However, the 36-year-old became visibly disturbed when the fans made noise between his first and second serves.
During the match, Djokovic secured a 6-4 6-4 victory over Cameron Norrie and was giving an on-court interview when some fans began drumming. Djokovic snapped, telling them to “learn how to respect players” and behave appropriately. He further added, “No, you shut up, you be quiet.” The 24-time grand slam champion mentioned that while the atmosphere during a Davis Cup tie is typically intense, some fans tried to drown out his victory speech with drums, which led him to respond.
Djokovic stated that it is normal for fans to sometimes cross the line, and in the heat of the moment, he felt compelled to react and show that he does not tolerate such behavior. He emphasized that fans can do whatever they want, but he will always respond. The captain of the Great Britain team, Lean Smith, refrained from criticizing the fans and instead praised the atmosphere they created, considering it one of the positive aspects of the Davis Cup. Smith mentioned that he heard a couple of comments but did not think it was too bad. He expressed his desire to see the atmosphere remain lively and not quieten down, as there is already enough quiet tennis.
Djokovic’s victory sets him on a collision course with Italy’s Jannik Sinner, whom he defeated on Sunday in the ATP Finals to secure his seventh title of the season.
