Novak Djokovic, who was famously deported from Australia over his Covid vaccination status two years ago, was put off on Friday night by a member of the Australian Open crowd yelling at him to “get vaccinated, mate”.
The Men’s World No. 1 was preparing to serve on match point when the rowdy tennis fan’s words were heard across Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic immediately drew his eyes away from the ball and turned.
He then stepped away from the baseline to regain his composure as the booing was heard across the arena.
But with four match points to play with, Djokovic made no mistake on his first attempt, wrapping up a 6-3 6-3 7-6 demolition of the 30th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry to move into the fourth round.
It was only on Wednesday the defending champion yelled at a member of the crowd at his second round match to “come down here and say that to my face”.
Djokovic wouldn’t disclose what was said, but told reporters it upsets him when someone in the crowd “crosses the line” and warned he wouldn’t tolerate it.
“I’m not going to sit and say it’s all good. It’s not good,” he said.
“Of course, it upsets me. I’m frustrated. I don’t want to be experiencing that.”
Djokovic has spoken about not feeling his best this week and has been pictured needing tissues on breaks during his matches.
In a press conference after his win against Etcheverry, he was asked whether he knew what illness he had, how it was affecting him and if he had had a Covid test since being in Melbourne.
“I haven’t had a Covid test,” Djokovic responded. “It’s kind of a regular viral infection that I’ve been through. Now it’s in its last stages. I still have some secrete coming out. That’s all it is.”
He said he was still not at his best but was “relieved” to have performed better and hoped he would just keep improving.
“Definitely much better than what was the case in the first two matches,” he said, which were both four setters against Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic and Aussie Alexei Popyrin.
“Yeah, coming into the tournament I haven’t really felt great health-wise, physically, and also game-wise. It’s all connected obviously,” he said.
“I believe that things will progress as the tournament goes on. That’s the case tonight and today. Hopefully every day will be better.”
While preparing for his return to the tournament last year, Djokovic said the Covid storm that surrounded him and the 2022 Aussie Open had made him feel like “the villain of the world”.
The Serbian tennis star’s controversial entrance and exit out of Australia made global headlines.
His initial visa cancellation at the hands of Border Force officials when he arrived in Australia ahead of the 2022 tournament was overturned in court.
But then, Alex Hawke, who was immigration minister at the time, used his discretionary power to revoke Djokovic’s visa for a second time on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so, and the Grand Slam champion’s legal team failed to overturn that decision.
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