On Tuesday, Novak Djokovic didn’t win over many fans at Flushing Meadows.
The Serbian tennis player voiced his frustrations to the chair umpire about the noisy crowd at Arthur Ash Stadium.
During the fourth game of the third set, Djokovic faced significant distractions while trying to serve with the score at 40-40.
Clearly agitated, he appealed to the chair umpire, Damien Dumusova, seeking some action about the crowd’s behavior. However, his pleas seemed to provoke more disapproval, drawing boos from the audience.
“What will you do?” Djokovic expressed his irritation. “What are you talking about? Thank you, please.”
He pressed the umpire for more explanation, to which Dumusova responded, “I just made an announcement: Stop screaming when both players are ready.”
It wasn’t the answer Djokovic hoped for, and Dumusova left him with a parting remark: “That doesn’t help, Novak.”
As the match progressed, Fritz gained momentum, pushing the match to a fourth set despite facing challenges.
In a light-hearted moment, Djokovic blew a kiss to the crowd after winning the second set.
By the end of the night, it seemed the crowd had warmed up to Djokovic, cheering for his intense match and recognizing his effort, especially when he dedicated his win to his daughter Tara.
“This is a huge present for her,” he shared, expressing his sentiments to the fans with a gesture of affection.
Next up, Djokovic faces Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals at Arthur Ash Stadium on Friday.
