Novak Djokovic: the times he was in the eye of the storm and a pandemic that exposes him

Novak Djokovic grew up between bombings. When he was just a child, ‘Nole’ had to take refuge in his grandfather’s house to protect himself from the incessant NATO attacks on the Serbian capital. Those tragic episodes marked his childhood, but did not prevent him from emerging as one of the best tennis players in history. Many years have passed and the current number one in the world causes him to be singled out for events unrelated to what he does on a playing field.

As if it were another day at the office, Djokovic He traveled to Australia with the intention of extending his reign in this country. .

The Belgrade tennis player intends to conquer his ‘major’ 21 and thus tie the tie with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the race to be the most winner in history, but his dream has disappeared these days. L.

In fact, one of the fundamental requirements to enter Australia is to have two doses of the vaccine. However, before traveling to the oceanic country, ‘Nole’ published a photo with a naive message on his social networks, revealing that he has an exemption permit granted by the Open organization to be able to access the country and play without a vaccine. This sparked outrage around the world.

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Djokovic he is being held in a hotel for immigration detention in Melbourne, where he is awaiting a positive solution. In that context, his participation in the Grand Slam is a total uncertainty, but the purpose of ‘Nole’ is to fight until the end to be able to compete in the Australian tournament.

Meanwhile, the Serbian’s name – as it has become customary – is at the center of controversy in many parts of the world. Some praise the tennis player as a “hero of freedom”, but the vast majority see him as a negative role model for society. And, in these delicate times, with millions of deaths implicated by the pandemic, the most prudent thing to do is to set an example at all costs, which is not being done in this case.

In the eye of the storm

Novak Djokovic almost always attracts the spotlight. The Serbian has been in the eye of the storm many times. Both on and off the tennis courts, the attitudes and actions of the world’s number one have been highly questioned. And this time has not been the exception.

An episode that is much remembered was in the final of the Miami Open in 2015. The battle for the title against Andy Murray started very even and ‘Nole’ did not hide the frustration he experienced at some points during the match. .

The public perceived Djokovic’s bad behavior and disapproved of it. The match judge even gave a warning to the tennis player, but the game continued, although with a tense atmosphere in the place and an individual fight with the fans.

At Roland Garros in 2016, Novak was once again featured on the front pages of newspapers. P.

In that same year, at the ATP Finals, he lost the first set against Dominic Thiem and the Serbian tennis player again caused outrage by throwing a ball into the public that almost hit a fan. It was something serious, although for him – ironically – it was not. “were his words at the post-match press conference.

Many times his relationship with the public was not good. The final of the US Open 2018 against Juan Martín del Potro is the irrefutable proof. The attendees expressed greater support for the Argentine, something that tremendously displeased the Djokovic. .

These outrageous shocks with the racket and with the fans have been constant. ‘Nole’ never knew how to control his anger in the face of adversity. And, thus far, he has not learned. Even when the current situation demands greater empathy, the Serbian has not let up. It is the perfect target for criticism and with good reason.

A pandemic that exposes you

The pandemic has affected millions of families around the world. Since 2020, life has become very difficult for many. For Djokovic, at a sporting level, it is not so much. However, not everything has been good for him. He could even have won more majors, but a series of mistakes doomed him.

After ‘Nole’ has triumphed in the Open de Australia 2020, the pandemic worsened and many sports competitions had to be canceled. Vaccines appeared as a beacon of hope for many, but not for the Serb.

“Personally, I am opposed to vaccination and I would not want to be forced by someone to be vaccinated in order to be able to travel.. But if this becomes compulsive I should make a decision. I have my own thoughts on this matter and I don’t know if those thoughts will change at some point “Djokovic first referred to the issue in April 2020, when there was no activity.

‘Nole’ justified the creation of this event, clarifying that the situation in the Balkans was not as serious as in the United States or Great Britain. This sparked controversy, but the worst came later.

Thousands of fans were present on the tour. There was no protocol to follow in the competition. Masks weren’t an obligation. And, to top it all, the parties in Belgrade were not lacking.

Many people in the public and some players contracted covid-19. Novak himself and his wife Jelena also tested positive. A total catastrophe. And the biggest responsible for all this was none other than ‘Nole’.

Restlessness haunted him for the rest of the year. After returning to tennis activity, Djokovic He had the great chance of winning a US Open, in which his two great rivals were absent. However, in the round of 16, an incident left him out of the tournament.

with the aim of “providing the players with a self-governing structure that is independent from the ATP and that responds directly to the needs and concerns of the players’ members.”

This generated quite a bit of controversy in the world of sports. Many tennis players opposed this association, including Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray, who believed that this announcement could create division, rather than union. The criticisms were mainly aimed at Djokovic.

The year passed and many things did not change. In itself, the different comments that ‘Nole’ has issued during his career have generated controversy.

“Pressure is a privilege and without it professional sports would not exist. If your goal is to be at the top of your sport, the best thing is that you begin to learn to deal with pressure and difficult moments, both on the court and off it “, were the words of Djokovic about it.

Days later, in the match for the bronze medal in tennis at the Olympic Games, after having lost in the semifinal to Alexander Zverev, Djokovic starred in an episode that did not support her claim to have learned to “deal with pressure.”

In the game against Pablo Carreño, who took bronze in the competition, ‘Nole’ was having a lot of trouble in the last set. . As expected, this unfortunate action did not go unnoticed on social networks.

As if that weren’t enough, after that game, Djokovic He left his mixed doubles partner, Nina Stojanovic, standing in the fight for the bronze medal in this modality. The number one in the world excused himself with supposed pain in the shoulder and was absent.

Thus, being in the eye of the storm has become a routine practice for ‘Nole’. His actions are not an example to anyone. He lacks empathy when it comes to the mental health of his colleagues and, now that he is dealing with millions of people around the world, he does not give his arm to twist either. It is your decision, but unfortunately it affects others.