Troicki defends Djokovic: "They treat him worse every time, it's disappointing"

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It's been a week since Novak Djokovic withdrew from the semi-finals of the 2025 Australian Open due to an injury that prevented him from playing beyond the first set in his match with Alexander Zverev. Interestingly, even now, the focus is more on this event than on the actual champion, although it's not entirely surprising. Still, new voices continue to comment on that controversial farewell at Rod Laver Arena, including Serbian Davis Cup Captain Viktor Troicki. In a conversation with BOLA VIP, Troicki doesn't hold back in defending his teammate.

"The reality is that a large portion of the crowd booed when he retired, something I don't believe happens in any other sport. Not even in football, where the crowd usually behaves more aggressively. When someone gets injured in football, even the opponent applauds and wishes for your recovery, which is why it was surprising to see something like that, especially in a place where Novak has played his best tennis and won ten titles. It was tremendously disrespectful and disappointing; mocking an athlete during a tournament is unacceptable," reflected the former Belgrade player.

Troicki makes a valid point, being one of those individuals who also had numerous on-court disputes due to his temperament and lively approach to competition. However, this goes beyond personalities or behaviors; it's about showing respect to one of the greatest sports legends of this century. It's still hard to understand how such a knowledgeable audience like the Australian one, who has often witnessed Djokovic's brilliance, couldn't grasp that the player was injured and therefore the only option was to retire from the match. But come on, how could someone fake an injury at this stage? If Novak is still active at 38, it's precisely to reach these later stages of Grand Slams.

A FIRE THAT WAS BUILDING UP

Without excusing anything, the truth is that the Oceanic crowd had already been on edge since the round of 16 match against Jiri Lehecka. It was there that the Balkan player, after fulfilling his obligations on the court, didn't want to follow up with post-match duties off the court. I'm referring to the post-match interview with Jim Courier that irked several fans. Hours later, it was revealed that everything stemmed from a local journalist's lack of respect towards him, an altercation that Troicki also wanted to delve into to express his opinion.

"I am aware of the peculiar situation with a Channel 9 journalist; there was much talk about it. If I had hired that journalist, I would have fired them immediately that same day; they should be banned for life from covering tennis. I believe they are treating Novak worse and worse, which is surprising and disappointing. It's incredible to see the greatest player of all time experiencing so many negative situations… and again in Australia. After Covid and everything that happened in those years, nothing has been the same," the Serbian concluded.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Troicki sale en defensa de Djokovic: “Cada vez le tratan peor, es decepcionante”