LIV Golf star Graeme McDowell criticized Novak Djokovic’s reaction to the Wimbledon crowd following his victory over Holger Rune, which advanced Djokovic to the quarter-finals.
Djokovic, who won in straight sets on Monday night, took issue with parts of the Centre Court crowd, accusing them of disrespect. His frustration stemmed from what he believed were boos directed at him, though many, including McDowell, suggested he misinterpreted chants of “Rune” as jeers.
McDowell, a keen tennis fan, shared his thoughts on social media, calling out Djokovic’s post-match interview with BBC’s Rishi Persad.
The 2010 US Open champion tweeted, “Djokovic is the GOAT, but not sure about this post-match interview. Fans supporting their guy and certainly didn’t think they were trying to disrespect Novak. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s how it seemed.”
Djokovic, adamant about being mistreated, mimicked a booing noise during his interview and said:
“To all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player, in this case me, have a good night.” When Persad suggested the crowd was merely supporting Rune, Djokovic retorted, “I don’t accept it. I know they were cheering for Rune, but that’s an excuse to also boo.”
The tennis star, who has experienced more hostile environments, claimed he focuses on the respectful fans who love tennis.
“I’ve been on the Tour for 20 years, so trust me, I know all the tricks, I know how it works. It’s fine; I focus on the respectful people who pay for the ticket and love tennis.”
McDowell, facing his own challenges in professional sports, recently failed to qualify for The Open. The 44-year-old Northern Irishman, part of Brooks Koepka’s Smash GC team in the LIV Golf tour, is set to compete in LIV Golf Andalucia soon. Despite not winning on the Saudi-backed tour, he has achieved three top-10 finishes in nine events this season.
