Tennis legend Novak Djokovic led his country to the semifinals of the Davis Cup this week. His victory put Team Serbia within winning distance of the coveted trophy. However, the tournament has been mired in controversies for a long time, and there is a fresh one to deal with. Djokovic lashed out at the International Tennis Federation for their doping control request.
Serbia took on Great Britain in the knockout match in Malaga. Novak faced Cameron Norrie and easily defeated him 6-4, 6-4, to see his side through. In the lead-up to the game, though, there was a little drama, which left Novak fuming.
Djokovic had to undergo a doping test just 90 minutes before his crucial match against Norrie. He recalled a man following him around for hours, waiting to draw blood. Djokovic added that he did not want that distraction before a match, as he had his own pre-match routines to follow.
The world No 1 from Serbia was taken aback during his pre-match preparations to be approached by a rep. of the Intl. Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) and asked for a sample.
The standard protocol on the tour is for players to be notified and tested AFTER the match has concluded. https://t.co/VuKlGBXXYf— C Kristjánsdóttir ●🐊 (@CristinaNcl) November 24, 2023
The representative told Novak that he was doing it before the match so the winning team could rest afterward. Djokovic had to point out that the winner would not play the following day. The Serb also hinted that it could be due to the doping agency being a private company, and they don’t understand the sport.
“This is outrageous. There’s nothing to hide, but there are also some limits. They don’t understand what’s happening here. They don’t understand sport, they don’t understand where they are,” said Novak (via Daily Express).
The troubles did not end for Novak Djokovic with the dope testing, though. He lashed out at the crowd, which kept booing him throughout his matchup.
Novak Djokovic explains why he lost his cool
The Serbian side absolutely dominated Great Britain during their clash. Miomir Kecmanovic started the proceedings by defeating Jack Draper, and Novak sealed their semifinal berth with a win over Norrie.
Following the match, a section of the crowd started playing drums during Novak’s interview. The Serb hit out at the crowd. He later elaborated on why he acted the way he did.
Drama. 😮
🥁 The Team GB section was playing drums during Djokovic’s interview, after knocking Great Britain out of the Davis Cup:
Novak replied: “Learn how to respect players, learn how to respect people, you shut up, you be quiet.” pic.twitter.com/SNNsCcxtSn
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) November 23, 2023
“In the Davis Cup, it’s normal that sometimes fans step over the line, but, you know, in the heat of the moment, you react too, and you, in a way, how can I say, show that you don’t allow this kind of behavior,” he said.
Novak Djokovic and his teammates will take on Italy next. It will be the third match between Novak and Jannik Sinner in the span of 11 days. A victory will take the Serbian team one step closer to the trophy. Stay tuned to find out!