Getty Image / Stringer / Anadolu Agency
Former world #1 ranked men’s tennis player Novak Djokovic lost his cool on the court at the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic appealed to the on-court referee for help. He claimed a ‘drunk’ heckler wanted to ‘get inside his head’ and had been repeatedly harassing him.
He pleaded with the referee saying “he’s been provoking all night, the entire night, the entire night — what are you going to do about it? Joker’s pleas appeared to fall on deaf ears.
During his second-round victory at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic asked the chair umpire to have a heckler removed. The heckler left after Djokovic pleaded his case.
"The guy's drunk out of his mind. … He's not here to watch tennis, he just wants to get in my head." pic.twitter.com/US9mRsa6DM
— ESPN (@espn) January 19, 2023
The accused heckler was with a group all dressed up as ‘Where’s Wally’ which is the British name for ‘Where’s Waldo’.. I only learned today that the British have a different name for Waldo than us.
This fan’s not wrong:
Tennis and Golf both demanding that crowds be quiet while the players play continues to be one of the most pathetic things in sports.
— KekW (@NYRNYY2022) January 19, 2023
Novak claimed the heckler was yelling obscenities at him throughout his second-round match. Djokovic ultimately hunkered down and beat France’s Enzo Couacaud in 4 sets.
Initially, it appeared as if the referee was not going to have the Where’s Wally heckler removed from the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic raged at the referee, saying “he’s not here to watch tennis. He just wants to get in my head. What are you going to do about it? Why don’t you get security to get him out of the stadium?”
The ref had a security guard go sit in front of the allegedly ‘drunk’ heckler. After the heckling continued he was eventually escorted out of the match.
Highlights of Novak Djokovic’s Second Round Australian Open Win
After his first-round Australian Open match, Novak Djokovic appeared to be saying the right things. He told Aussie fans “Unbelievable atmosphere. Thank you so much for staying this late, everybody. Also, thank you for giving me such a welcoming and a reception I can only dream of. I really feel very happy that I’m back in Australia and I’m back here on the court where I had the biggest success in my career.”
His presence at the 2023 Australian Open surprised some Tennis fans. This is because he was forcibly removed from the country last year.