“Come and say it to my face”: Djokovic’s Australian Open tension

During his fight with Alexei Popyrin, Nole suffered disrespectful comments from a local fan who was cheering on his compatriot. The Serbian couldn’t stand it anymore and confronted him.

Novak Djokovicwhich did not improve on its intermittent debut version, defeat the local Alexei Popyrin by 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4) and 6-2 in the second round of Australian Open. In the match, the Serbian experienced a tense moment with an audience, which he faced a “Come and tell me to my face”. Furthermore, after winning the match, Nole found him and celebrated towards his sector.

Djokovic celebrated wildly inappropriately for a second-round victory against an opponent ranked outside the top-40because of the ‘in extremis’ situation he went through in the third set after saving four set points. “He had an easy forehand and got past it, he was a better tennis player for a set and a half. In the tiebreak the trend changed. I don’t think I played at the best level”commented the reigning champion in an interview at the foot of the track conducted by American Jim Courier.

After winning the tiebreak and taking the lead, Nole was overwhelmed at 2-2 in the fourth set and He faces an audience. The Serbian turned around and invited the Popyrin fan to come down from the stand: “Come and tell me to my face”number one in the world can be understood in clear English.

After winning the last point that gave them a 6-2 advantage in the fourth and passed to the third round, Djokovic turned to the back stand to shout loudly against those who were bothering and goading him in the match.

“You don’t want to know what he said. They tell me a lot from that side. I tolerated them for most of the game, but there came a moment where I said enough and asked the guy if he wanted to come down and say it to my face.. When you face someone, they don’t have the courage to come down. That’s what I told him, if he dares to come down. If you are a tough person, come down and tell me to my face and let’s talk about it. He apologized from afar. “everyone is there”the Serbian explained later.

Tomás Etcheverry, Novak Djokovic’s next opponent at the Australian Open

This is the first time Novak Djokovic will face a seed in the current edition of the Australian Open and it is this Friday against a Thomas Etcheverry whom he won the two times they faced each other in the past (Rome and Paris Bercy). The man from La Plata defeated two historic players in the sport, Andy Murray and Gael Monfils, in straight sets.