"Love when someone pisses Novak Djokovic off"; "Buy him a beer" - Serb finding form after heated exchange with Australian Open spectator amuses fans

Novak Djokovic had an altercation with a front-row fan at the Rod Laver Arena during the fourth set of his second-round match against Alexei Popyrin at the 2024 Australian Open on Wednesday (January 17). The Serb visibly started playing better afterward, much to the amusement of his fans.

The World No. 1 was leading Popyrin by two sets and tied at 2-2 in the fourth set when one fan in the front rows tried to egg the Serb on by yelling at him in between points.

The 24-time Major winner was clearly miffed by the spectator's heckling, daring him to 'say it to his face'.

"Come and say that in my face!" the defending champion was caught on camera telling the rowdy fan in the fourth set.

The 10-time Melbourne winner proceeded to drop just one game following his scuffle with the fan, winning 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 in three hours and 12 minutes to reach the third round in Melbourne. A horde of Novak Djokovic's fans subsequently took to X (formerly Twitter) to poke fun at the front-row spectator who had unsuccessfully attempted to throw their idol off his game.

One fan admitted that they always look forward to fans having a go at the 36-year-old since it "brought out the best in him".

"Sometimes just sometimes I love it when someone pisses him off in the crowd. Don't they know it brings out the best in him. #undercovernovakfan," they wrote.

Another fan, meanwhile, posted tongue-in-cheek that the rude fan deserved a beer for motivating the Serb to play better.

"Nolefam in attendance, find this guy and buy him a beer as a thank you," they wrote.

Here are a few more reactions from social media:

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Novak Djokovic also put a heckler in their place at last year's Australian Open

Novak Djokovic had a run-in with a heckler at last year's Australian Open as well

The above instance was not the first time Novak Djokovic has hit back at a rude fan in the stands. A few drunk spectators tried to provoke the 24-time Major winner during his second-round match against Enzo Couacaud at last year's Australian Open.

Already struggling to find his A-game, Djokovic was at his wit's end as he told the chair umpire Fergus Murphy that the fan in question was not there to enjoy tennis, but to provoke him.

"The guy is drunk out of his mind," Djokovic was heard saying to the umpire Fergus Murphy. "From the first point, he’s been provoking me. He’s not here to watch tennis, he just wants to get in my head, you heard him at least 10 times, I heard him 50. What are you going to do about it? Get him out of the stadium."

A few moments after the Serb's complaint, the fan that was heckling him was escorted out of the Rod Laver Arena. The then-35-year-old eventually beat his French opponent 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-0 and was relatively untroubled throughout the rest of his triumphant campaign at the 2023 Australian Open.