WATCH: Novak Djokovic furiously walks out of interview after being repeatedly quizzed about Wimbledon crowd's "disrespect"

Novak Djokovic; ( Source: Getty Image)
Novak Djokovic; ( Source: Getty Image)

Novak Djokovic's Wimbledon campaign has been in the spotlight over the past couple of days. After defeating Holger Rune in the fourth round, the Serb objected to the crowd's behavior, believing they were booing him. Another incident occurred post-match as Djokovic abruptly left an interview after being continuously questioned about the controversy.

A group of fans in the Center Court chanted Rune's name during the match, which the 37-year-old perceived as jeers. Visibly disappointed after the match, Djokovic took a subtle jibe at the "disrespectful" spectators, bidding them "Goooood Night." He added that chanting Rune's name was merely an excuse for fans to mock him.

The 24-time Major champion has since faced numerous media questions about the incident, some of which came during the post-match press conference. In a recent BBC interview, he also encountered a similar question about whether he received the respect he deserved after the match. Djokovic had a somewhat similar response to what he had said earlier.

"Look as I said in the post match interview, I thanked all the people; Most of the people in the stadium tonight we're respectful. And I thanked them and I know after watching all day tennis that is not easy to stay. So I was thankful, I don't take it for granted. Obviously they are big part of why I still play," he said [at 0:20].
"The crowd and people who really appreciate the tennis players and what we do and the efforts we put in and we appreciate them paying tickets and coming to support us and to support the tennis to support the to support this beautiful tournament. So I always try to acknowledge that, but then when I feel that the crowd is stepping over the line, I react and I don't regret my words or action on the court," the Serb added.

However, the World No. 2 was left fuming by another question from the journalist about the controversy, asking about his mindset during the match in light of the perceived disrespect. Djokovic responded by asking if they had other topics to discuss, as he had already spoken a lot about the controversy.

"Do you have any other questions other than the crowd, or you focused only on that or any questions about the match or something like that, or is it solely focused on that," he said [1:15].
"Well I mean this is the third question already. I said what I have to say," Djokovic added.

Having to address the same question again prompted Novak Djokovic to abruptly leave the interview without fully discussing his upcoming match against Alex de Minaur.

Watch the video from the interview below:

"He will go out on court giving his all" - Novak Djokovic ahead of his match Wimbledon 2024 QF clash against Alex De Minaur

Day Eight: The Championships - Wimbledon 2024
Day Eight: The Championships - Wimbledon 2024

In his post-match press conference Novak Djokovic stated that Alex De Minaur could give him a tough fight, and added that he sees no reason why the Aussie wouldn't have this mindset. The Serb recalled their encounter from the United Cup earlier this year to support his statements.

"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," he said (via Punto de Break).

But the 37-year-old was also confident ahead of the quarterfinal clash, given his current form.

"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.

Novak Djokovic holds a 2-1 head-to-head advantage over Alex de Minaur, with the former winning their most recent encounter at the 2024 Monte Carlo Masters. The winner of this quarterfinal clash will face either Lorenzo Musetti or Taylor Fritz in the semifinal at the Wimbledon 2024.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar
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