World no. 77 Thanasi Kokkinakis has joined former US Open winner Andy Roddick in sharing their fears about Novak Djokovic’s passionate fanbase.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has garnered huge support over his years of success, and those fans have struck fear into his rivals on the court.
If it wasn’t enough that Djokovic is in the conversation to be the greatest player of all time, players then have to deal with his supporters on social media, who have been accused of “abusing” those he takes on.
“In tennis Twitter, if you like Djokovic, everyone has this little Lacoste emoji,” Kokkinakis explained to Denis Shapovalov and Dominic Thiem in conversation for the Ultimate Tennis Showdown. “They have this little crocodile. You know they are a Djokovic fan if they have that and they are just abusing you.”
Kokkinakis’ comments mirrored those made by 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick, who earlier this year admitted that he was fearful of Djokovic’s fanbase.
“I’m so scared of Nole’s (Djokovic’s) Twitter people,” Roddick said on his Served podcast. “I say something like he was breathing heavily and even though he was breathing heavily, they are like f*** you! I just eat s*** from them all the time.
“I am effusive about how brilliant he is. I think I was the first to say that he was the greatest before it was generally accepted, but you can’t win them all.”
Kokkinakis and Shapovalov were equally as worried about facing Djokovic on court, especially when the crowd is on his back.
“At the start – because Federer was always really welcoming, especially when you were younger, same as Rafa – but Novak was like, ‘f***, this guy doesn’t lose’ and just drinks juices all day,” Kokkinakis said
Shapovalov explained further: “I remember Paris [Masters], the year I made finals, I played him in the finals. And I was thinking, because I heard rumours that he’s been sick all week, you know? And he was drinking his juices, like you said.
“He’s drinking stuff all the time. I’m like, ‘Dude, I’ve got him. I’m playing the best tennis of my life. The guy is not feeling good. He’s not 100 per cent.’ Like you said, this is my chance! This is it. No chance, the guy was toying with me.”
But Djokovic downed Shapovalov in the final, as Kokkinaskis shared: “And the worst is if the crowd makes him p***ed. If he gets p***ed and starts yelling at the crowd, pack your bags.”
They both made the same plea: “Don’t p*** him off.”
This year the Wimbledon crowd was on Djokovic’s back and he was made out to be the villain in the majority of his matches, which turned the tide against his opponents before the veteran came undone against Carlos Alcaraz.
