"If someone goes too far, I react": Novak Djokovic doubles down on criticism of booing crowd in 4R win, weighs in on whether Wimbledon can take action

Novak Djokovic has doubled down on his criticism of the hostile crowd in his fourth-round clash against Holger Rune at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships on Monday (July 8). The Serb was unimpressed with the crowd's conduct, calling out the "disrespectful" spectators after his win.

Djokovic made a strong stride forward in his quest to match Roger Federer's record of eight Wimbledon titles, booking his place in the quarterfinals with a commanding 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Holger Rune. The World No. 2 will continue his campaign against Alex de Minaur, battling it out for a coveted spot in the semifinals.

Apart from the Serb's stellar victory, the match drew attention for Djokovic's confrontation with the hostile crowd. While the 37-year-old expressed his gratitude to the supportive fans, he didn't hold back in mocking the "disrespectful" spectators with sarcastic wishes of "good night."

"To all the fans that have had respect and stayed here tonight, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I appreciate it. And to all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player – in this case me – have a goooood night. Goooood night, goooood night. A very good night," he said in his on-court interview.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion also suggested that the crowd's chanting of Rune's name was simply "an excuse to also boo," asserting that he is aware of all such "tricks."

In his post-match press conference, Novak Djokovic was asked whether Wimbledon should take action against such unruly fans. However, the Serb contended that there was not much that could be done since the paying fans had a right to cheer as they wished.

"I don't know if Wimbledon can do that. At those particular moments when it happens, the fans have paid for their tickets. They have the right to be there and to cheer the way they want to cheer. How they choose to behave and how they choose to cheer their player is up to them," he said.

"Yes, maybe the chair umpire can try to calm them down at certain moments, but you can't do too much. You can't throw out an entire section of the stands because they're not behaving correctly or being disrespectful. It is what it is. It's part of this sport," he added.

Djokovic also reaffirmed his appreciation for "true tennis fans" who treat the players with respect, but warned that he would always be quick to retaliate if the lines were crossed.

"If we're here, if this tournament is so important historically, it's because of the fans, because of their interest, because they pay for tickets, because they queue to be here. That's something I respect and appreciate, I said that on court," Djokovic said.

"True tennis fans who respect the players will always cheer for one player or another, it's completely understandable and they have the freedom to do so. Now, if someone goes too far, I react. That's what happened. After the match I said what I said," he added.

Novak Djokovic ahead of Wimbledon QF clash: "There's no reason to think Alex de Minaur can't win, but the Grand Slams are a completely different league"

Novak Djokovic (Source: Getty)

Looking ahead to his Wimbledon quarterfinal clash against Alex de Minaur, Novak Djokovic asserted that he was unsurprised by the immense progress the World No. 9 has made in the past year.

"He is probably the fastest player we have on tour. He has improved a lot in the last year and a half – I played him in the 4th round of the Australian Open 2023, I played a fantastic match, but from that match until now, seeing his progress and how he has entered the top-10 does not surprise me," Djokovic said in the same press conference.

While acknowledging De Minaur's potential to win, the World No. 2 also emphasized that the Majors are in a "completely different" league and expressed satisfaction with his current form.

"I am convinced that he will go out on court giving his all and thinking that he can win. He already beat me this year in Australia, so there's no reason to think he can't win this match. But the Grand Slams are a completely different league. I like the way I'm playing, especially today against a tough opponent. I'm looking forward to the next match," he added.

Djokovic has triumphed in two of his three tour-level encounters against Alex de Minaur, including a 7-5, 6-4 victory in their latest encounter in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters.