Novak Djokovic booed for another on-court antic prior to start of Australian Open final

Yet another controversy loomed on the edges for World No.1 Novak Djokovic as he won the Australian Open 2021 Men's singles title at the Rod Laver Arena on Sunday. The Serb has not had the best time of it — ever really — but more so in the last year or so. Since his 'Adria Tour' gaffe early last year, Djokovic has become somewhat of a poster boy for what not to do during the pandemic. From denying the existence of the virus altogether to saying that he would not take a vaccination if it was forced on him and most recently, issuing a somewhat misconstrued and slightly tone deaf 'list of demands' for the Australian Open, Djokovic has not earned any popularity points to go with the silverware he has collected over the last season.

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Novak Djokovic's close shave with another controversy at Australian Open 2021

With a decisive 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 win over the highly favoured Daniil Medvedev this Sunday, Novak Djokovic proved once and for all that he is the king of Melbourne Park. However, his presence in Melbourne has not proved to be very popular with locals who have taken issue with his anti-vax and anti-mask stances. While there is no doubt that the world No.1 — who by now is more than used to antagonistic audiences — pays little heed to opposition from the crowd, the jeers and booing ringing out from the stands at Rod Laver Arena would have jolted him at least a little. 

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Djokovic faced severe backlash for his refusal to wear a mask while walking onto the court for the final. Acerbic messages poured in on Twitter comparing Djokovic — the bad guy — to Medvedev, who was indeed wearing a mask, though pretty uselessly —below his nose. Fans of the sport asked for the No.1 to be censured publicly for his thoughts on the virus but forgot to leaf through the tournament's rule book which, according to many publications, states that it is not in fact, mandatory for players to wear a mask while entering the court. Players are only required to wear masks while travelling to and from the venue, making Djokovic's actions technically acceptable.

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Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal race: Djokovic Grand Slam collection grows

With his win on Sunday, Novak Djokovic further reduced the gap between himself and arch-rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal who have 20 Grand Slam titles to their name. Of the three, most people agree that it will be an uphill task for 39-year-old Roger Federer to win any more Slams — barring perhaps his favourite, Wimbledon. This puts into the limelight Rafa and Djokovic, who at 34 and 33 respectively are expected to end up as one of the GOATs of tennis.

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Image Credits: Novak Djokovic Twitter