The game of roles often takes place between Novak Djokovic and the crowds that fill the stadiums. Sometimes the Serbian entertains the crowds with his pranks, other times he receives whistles and boos for his furious reactions.
But, perhaps, what everyone forgets and what I would like to underline is how Nole is a human being and, like all of us, he often has negative reactions when things don’t go well. He could measure his excesses of nervousness, but like all of us, even tennis players are different in their behaviors.
It also happened yesterday, in the 4th round of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, in the match won in straight sets against Lorenzo Musetti. A victory that allowed Nole to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Nole had an argument with the crowd, a very complicated moment for the Serbian, which occurred in the first set.
Nole defends his behivior
At the press conference, Djokovic tried to explain his reaction.
“I try to transform negative energy into something that is constructive for me. I don’t look for problems with the crowd. I don’t go on the court thinking: Okay, boo me and I’ll play better.
It’s not the type of mentality that distinguishes me. But if people start to react in a way that I don’t think I deserve and that I think isn’t right, then I react back. If someone does something wrong to you, stand your ground, I grew up with that mentality,” he told.
Novak Djokovic on the whistles against him vs Musetti:
“I didn’t feel so comfortable in the game, because I was dominated by Musetti. Then [the crowd booed] and that helped me to relax. I had this little smile, I I mimed a conductor and it worked.”
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“Do I concentrate more when these things happen? It depends. Sometimes I concentrate, other times I feel more relaxed. There is always a lot of tension on the court when you try to play your best tennis. Musetti was the better of the two in the first seven or eight games. I didn’t feel very comfortable until that moment. I think it happened at the right time today. It worked!” he added.
On his physical condition, Djokovic then added: “In some moments of the match I didn’t feel very good physically. But it is the consequence of the first matches on clay. You have to work hard physically to beat a strong player like Musetti.
The important thing is to have found a way to win. I’m on the right path and I believe that the training and everything I’m doing with my team will bear fruit. I want to reach the maximum in terms of play and sensations in view of the Roland Garros,” he explained.
