Novak Djokovic Lashes Out at Wimbledon Fans for "Disrespect" During Match

Novak Djokovic has caused controversy at Wimbledon after calling out fans for being "disrespectful" during his match against Holger Rune. Despite dominating the match and winning in straight sets, Djokovic expressed his frustration with the crowd's support for his opponent.

Novak Djokovic's quest for a seventh Wimbledon title took an unexpected turn on Monday when he criticized the crowd for their alleged disrespect during his Round of 16 victory over Holger Rune.

Novak Djokovic Lashes Out at Wimbledon Fans for "Disrespect" During Match

Following his 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 triumph on Center Court, Djokovic expressed his gratitude to fans who had shown respect but lashed out at those he believed had been disrespectful throughout the match.

"To all the fans that have respect and that stayed here tonight: Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate it. And to all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player, in this case, me, I don't hold a grudge against you," Djokovic said.

Novak Djokovic Lashes Out at Wimbledon Fans for "Disrespect" During Match

The Serbian star then mocked the crowd by drawling out the "O's" in "good" to sound like a boo, implying that the fans had been booing him.

The Wimbledon interviewer attempted to dismiss Djokovic's accusations, but the world number two was insistent.

Novak Djokovic Lashes Out at Wimbledon Fans for "Disrespect" During Match

"They were, they were, they were," Djokovic doubled down. "I don't accept it. No, no, no, I know they were chanting for Rune. But that's an excuse to also boo. Listen, I've been on the tour for more than 20 years. So trust me, I know all the tricks. I know how it works. It's fine, it's fine. It's OK. I focus on the respectful people, that have respect, that paid [for] a ticket to watch tonight and love tennis.

"I've played in much more hostile environments. Trust me, you guys can't touch me."

Djokovic's outburst is likely to raise eyebrows at Wimbledon, where crowd etiquette is generally considered to be respectful. However, the crowd had been enthusiastically supporting Rune, who was playing in his first Wimbledon Round of 16.

Despite Djokovic's assertion that he was unaffected by the crowd's reaction, his body language throughout the match suggested otherwise. The 21-time Grand Slam champion appeared visibly frustrated at times, particularly when Rune was receiving particularly vocal support.

Djokovic's victory sets up a quarterfinal clash with ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia on Wednesday. It remains to be seen how the Wimbledon crowd will receive Djokovic in the wake of his controversial comments.

Meanwhile, Rune's impressive run at Wimbledon came to an end but the Danish star can take heart from his performance against one of the greatest players of all time. Rune's aggressive style and relentless determination will undoubtedly serve him well in the future as he continues to rise up the rankings.