Novak Djokovic defends short temper on court, claims 'I can't be liked by everyone'

For anyone who watched Novak Djokovic's tumultuous beginning in tennis, there has been a marked change in the World No.1's behaviour over the years. The teenager who did impressions of other players and seemed to give up on matches halfway through has been replaced by a stoic man hungry for wins. Aggression, of course, has always been a part of his game as much as anyone else's and in another game may have been appreciated, but it seems that the superannuated world of tennis has not taken kindly to this. Despite this, off the court, Djokovic is a staunch advocate for peace and mental health. 

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Why is Djokovic not so well received by audiences?

As a youngster who had just broken into the game when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were ruling the roost, Novak Djokovic had a tough time gaining the acceptance of audiences who saw him as an outsider to an already great rivalry. Even Roger Federer and Rafa, and greats like John McEnroe were known to have outbursts on the court, yet somehow, Novak Djokovic seems to have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to respect. 

Despite having better head-to-head records against both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and holding multiple tennis records, Djokovic still has to prove his worth as the GOAT of tennis. Despite being the only active player to have defeated Rafa at the French Open, his loss is still the only thing talked about. Despite Federer's 6–1, 6–3, 6–0 loss to Rafa at the 2008 French Open final, this is still considered a humiliating loss. It seems that Djokovic may only be respected if he tops the duo in Slam titles. 

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Djokovic admits he cannot be liked by everyone

With his signature post-win celebration and a number of other trademark fan engagement methods, it is obvious that Novak Djokovic is trying to be more positive in his approach. For a while now it has been obvious that this lack of love has affected Djokovic. After his one-sided loss to Rafa at the French Open, Djokovic admitted, “I understand that there are people that don’t like maybe what I do on or off the court. I understand that I can’t be liked by everyone. That’s fine."

Djokovic also reflected on his life and said that in times like these, he tries to remind himself of all that he has achieved, and how far he has come. Growing up in war-torn Serbia, Djokovic has faced hurdles that very few modern-day players could even imagine. He also said that the initial anger of his career came from his experiences in the war, but he has actively worked on forgiveness. “I try to remind myself of how blessed I am really to be in this position. I try to reflect on the early days of my career, where I grew up, how I grew up." 

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Image Credits: Roland Garros Twitter