Published 18:47 IST, June 11th 2020
Novak Djokovic criticised by tennis players for 'hypocrisy' over US Open 2020 stance
Novak Djokovic's stance on the US Open's 'harsh' safety protocols has been criticised by lower-ranked tennis players who have pointed out his hypocrisy.
World No.1 Novak Djokovic has drawn criticism from all quarters after suggesting that he would be open to missing the US Open 2020 and focus on the French Open in the current situation. Novak Djokovic's comments come as a huge blow for the US Open 2020 organisers, with Roger Federer also set to miss the tournament due to injury. The Serbian tennis ace had campaigned earlier for top players to set up a fund for lower-ranked players in order to help them through a financial uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, and the lower-ranked players who were quick to point out he contraction in his statements.
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Novak Djokovic net worth: Serbian's slammed for US Open 2020 comments, draws criticism for hypocrisy
In a chat with Serbia's state broadcaster RTS on Tuesday, World No.1 Novak Djokovic labelled the US Open 2020's restrictions as extreme and would prefer to skip the tournament in favour of the French Open. The US Open 2020 restrictions in the wake of coronavirus pandemic allow only one coach with the player, something that Novak Djokovic believes will it practically "impossible" for him to compete.
Novak Djokovic's comments did not sit well with tennis star Dan Evans, who in a chat with BBC5 Live, claimed that the World No.1's comments only pertained to a tiny percentage of players at the very top of the sport. Evans added that a majority of the players in the draw travel with one coach, and Djokovic's argument is not valid for most of the participants of the US Open 2020.
Women's World No.52 Danielle Collins also called out Novak Djokovic for his 'hypocrisy' in an intense response online. Collins wrote that the World No.1's recent comments serve as a serious contradiction to previous comments where the players in the top 100 should help those outside the 250 bracket. Collins added that it is easy for Novak Djokovic to earn $US150 million ($AUD 205m) throughout their career to try and tell people what to do with their money and then turn down the opportunity of playing in the US Open. Collins called for Djokovic and other top tennis stars including Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer to support the US Open 2020, as it is a massive opportunity for players to start making money again.
Novak Djokovic net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the Novak Djokovic net worth is estimated to be around US$220 million. The Novak Djokovic net worth includes sponsorship and endorsement deals from various brands like ASICS Shoes, Uniqlo, FitLine etc. He is also an ambassador for an American-based technology company, i.e. Ultimate Software Group. According to Essentially Sports, Djokovic receives around US$20.6 million per year through sponsorship from Lacoste and through several other endorsement deals.
The Novak Djokovic net worth accounts his whopping $132 million prize money, far more than rival Roger Federer. The World No.1 also owns a restaurant in Monte Carlo as well as houses in top cities such as Monte Carlo, Belgrade, New York City, Miami, Marbella in Spain and Dubai, which is said to be worth $37.6 million on aggregate according to a YouTube video on ScoopHawk TV.
Updated 18:47 IST, June 11th 2020