Novak Djokovic Loses His Cool In An Interview

Novak Djokovic ,who has had a tough time lately, insists he is at peace with himself as the season draws to an intriguing climax in London this week. However, he betrayed uncharacteristic tetchiness when asked if he thought smashing a ball into the crowd at the O2 Arena in Greenwich on Sunday might have injured a spectator – and if it also indicated something about his “mindset” towards the end of what had begun as a season full of promise for him and has ended in one of rare struggle.

Djokovic’s Spanish life coach, Pepe Imaz, who was a vision of serenity sitting courtside – not far from his tennis coach, Boris Becker – might have some work to do yet. The player says he has for several years sought guidance from Imaz, a former fringe player on the Tour. He turned to him again recently when “off court issues”, as he described them at the Rio Olympics, compounded a run of injuries that have bedevilled the latter part of an otherwise outstanding season and contributed to his losing his world No1 ranking to Andy Murray in Paris last weekend.

If he wins every match at the Barclay’s ATP World Tour Finals here this week, he will be No1 again. If surrendering the crown after a run of 123 weeks is the cause of his impatience, it is understandable and perhaps beneficial to his cause. Djokovic is the fiercest of competitors. Losing his composure occasionally ought not to be a major crime; Murray, after all, has built a career on venting his spleen.

In the opening singles, however, Djokovic was warned for unsportsmanlike conduct when he belted the ball roughly in the direction of his box after losing the first set to the promising young Austrian Dominic Thiem, before going on to win 6-7, 6-0, 6-2 in convincing style.

Towards the end of what had been an amicable press conference, this is how the exchange unfold.

Djokovic: “You guys are unbelievable.”Questioner: “Back to the end of the first set, we saw you similarly venting your frustration at Roland Garros, throwing your racket. Does it concern you one day that will cost you dearly? If it hit someone...”

Q “Why is it unbelievable?”

ND “Because you’re always picking these kind of things.”

Q “If you keep doing these things ...”

ND “I keep doing these things? Why don’t you get suspended then?”

Q “You were close, weren’t you?”

ND “I’m close? I’m still not suspended, so if I’m not close, I’m not close.”

Q “If that ball had hit a spectator, it could have been serious.”

ND “It could have been, yes. It could have snowed in the O2 Arena, as well, but it didn’t.”

Q “You’re not concerned about your mindset?”

ND “I’m the only player that shows his frustration on the court? That’s what you are saying?”

Q “You’re one of the top-ranked players in the world.”

ND “So?”

Q “You are showing this frustration. I’m asking you, do you think it’s an issue for you?”

ND “It is not an issue for me. It’s not the first time I did it.”