Djokovic: "My Mistakes Are Less Forgiven"

Krish872007

Krish872007

Talk Tennis Guru
One more thread with input from the man himself. Thoughts?
My view - a great champion and ambassador for the sport. A truly dominant force who has been, at times, quite severely maligned by the media and an uncompromising spectator base.

www.eurosport.co.uk

'My mistakes are less forgiven' - Djokovic claims unfair treatment

Novak Djokovic has said that he feels his mistakes are not forgiven as easily as with other players, when asked about his public perception and media treatment.
www.eurosport.co.uk www.eurosport.co.uk

Novak Djokovic has said that he feels his mistakes are not forgiven as easily as with other players, when asked about his public perception and media treatment.
The reigning champion secured his place in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with his 300th Grand Slam win, despite coming into the match with Milos Raonic with major injury doubts.
In the process of sealing victory, the top seed set up a mouthwatering quarter-final clash against sixth seed Alexander Zverev, who continued his fine form so far in the tournament with a fine win over Dusan Lajovic.
Djokovic's injury has sparked rampant debate, with top coach Patrick Mouratoglou suggesting that he has a history of 'pretending to give up' in matches, and he was asked about perceptions of his behaviour after his third-round match.
The Serb said he does feel as though he is treated differently to other top players and was candid in explaining his feelings to Tennis Majors on his public perception. Djokovic has also come under fire over the past 12 months for issues like the Adria Tour.
"Nobody in the media can break my spirit, for my connection with my own soul and consciousness is deeper than any news that is written about me and any sort of public criticism," Djokovic said.
"I know who I am, what I am, where I am, where I’ve been and where I’m going – I proudly point all that out.
"I AM ABLE TO BE GRATEFUL, I AM ABLE TO PUT MY HANDS UP AND APOLOGISE WHEN I HAVE MADE A MISTAKE, BUT YES, MY MISTAKES ARE PERHAPS LESS FORGIVEN IN THE PUBLIC IN COMPARISON TO OTHER PLAYERS AND SPORTS STARS."
"Truthfully, I have mostly made peace with it. I cannot say that it doesn’t sometimes get to me – of course an injustice or an unfair portrayal by the media affects me.
"I am a human being, I have emotions and naturally I don’t enjoy it. I would sincerely like to have a good relationship with them, but it seems that this is not always possible.
"I do my best to focus on the positive things and the positive articles."
 
He's brought most of it on himself with his behavior and actions. Hard to feel sorry for him.

A great champion, but a terrible ambassador for the sport. It is what it is. Being a great sportsman doesn't automatically make you a great person or a great leader or an exemplary role model in anything other than maximising your sporting potential.
 
Nadal_Django said:
His only real mistake, was that he dominated the establishment Fedal boys in utter fashion. Now he will have to live with the consequences, I'm afraid. ;)
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His biggest mistake was putting on the Aidra Tour, with no social distancing or even masks, right as the biggest pandemic crisis in living memory was sweeping the world. He endangered an entire region, when it was completely avoidable. That hubris and arrogance was his downfall.

Before that, people/the media made all sorts of excuses for him (his gamesmanship, his tendency to wildly exaggerate injuries etc) because they wanted him to be seen as a great ambassador for the sport, not just one of it's greatest players. Sure he was always the least popular of the Big 3, but he has only become the outright villain of tennis in the last year, since the Aidra Tour and all his subsequent comments and mistakes (anti-vaxx, lineswoman throating etc). That has nothing to do with Fedal. That was all on Novak.
 
"Nobody in the media can break my spirit, for my connection with my own soul and consciousness is deeper than any news that is written about me and any sort of public criticism," Djokovic said.

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8-)
 
Djokovic only has himself to blame for this latest episode. Immediately after the match he told Eurosport that when he had his MTO the doctor confirmed that he had a stomach tear and said he wasn't sure whether he could play in the next round or not. After the MRI scan he decided that he would keep the result of the scan confidential because he doesn't want to talk about it as he is still in the tournament. What difference would that make. Other players are open about their injuries.

No one can be blamed for thinking that he is not being straight with the public.
 
He needs to control his petulance on court which eventually earned him disqualification at the USO. All players are competitive, they are in it to win but Djokovic gives the impression that his opponents have no right to compete because when he loses a point he takes it out on his racquet or the court furniture far too often.
 
clayqueen said:
Djokovic only has himself to blame for this latest episode. Immediately after the match he told Eurosport that when he had his MTO the doctor confirmed that he had a stomach tear and said he wasn't sure whether he could play in the next round or not. After the MRI scan he decided that he would keep the result of the scan confidential because he doesn't want to talk about it as he is still in the tournament. What difference would that make. Other players are open about their injuries.

No one can be blamed for thinking that he is not being straight with the public.
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Yeah, after the R3 he said he knew he had a tear.
After R4 he said he won't reveal what MRI scan showed, as he doesn't like to 'speculate'.

This makes no sense, as what he did after R3 was speculation, while informing us of scan results is the opposite. These contradictions are coming across like a ploy to mess with the head of opponents. I have no doubt that he did actually have serious pain vs Fritz, those saying he made it up completely are also wrong.
 
I do think he Sometimes is treated a bit unfairly but he also was a bit inconsistent in his behavior switching between the "embrace the bad boy image" and "please love me I'm just as classy as fedal".

I think the media have overblown some of his stuff and he mostly has been a great guy but I think he sometimes himself was a bit unsure what his role was.

He tried the "embrace the bad boy your hate is my motivation" image kinda going full john McEnroe but I really think that is not him because mac actually doesn't give a **** what people think while djokovic deep down is a good sensitive guy who wants to be liked but he sometimes took the bad boy role just as a protest which kinda let's him look less "real" than fedal who never fell out of their role.

That doesn't mean they are better people than novak, they just found a role they can keep up more consistently
 
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Born_to_slice said:
He shouldn't care about the media and should roast them every single time. Just cease all PC PR attempts.
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Exactly. Be yourself. Be a weirdo. We’d respect that. Not sure when the neediness kicked in but man was that unfortunate. He could’ve been one of the great sports characters, but instead every time his character is mentioned it’s about neediness. Not too late, though.
 
Two things here:
1) A kernel of truth. He is absolutely right that there's clear favouritism for Federer and Nadal (especially the former), the "darlings of the media" and of a certain establishment.
2) Victimisation. He has also used, abused and confirmed this notion to build his tennis persona, motivate and ultimately isolate himself further.

Nothing new, really.
 
zagor said:
In short, I agree with him. I do think the media/establishment/crowd are quite quick to pounce on him.
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Only since the Aidra Tour though. Shouldn't that tell you something? That was a serious blunder on his part that he can't just walk back. It puts all his other actions under a microscope.

Before the Aidra Tour and Anti-Vaxx stuff, I think the media was generally quite friendly and positive towards Novak. Lots of hype about him potentially becoming GOAT etc.
 
Part of Djokovic's frustration is thinking that the popularity of Fedal was based on their success on tour and when he equalled that success, he didn't get the same adulation so there is a lot of pent-up anger there. He also thinks that as the #1 ranked player, he should be the centre of everything.

Pundits like Petchey and Courier, who commentate on British TV, try to redress this by overhyping him relating all his victories over Fedal ad nauseum and only refer to him as the World #1 just to make it clear that he is the top ranking player to make people give him his due respect but that just tend to annoy fans of the other players.
 
ScentOfDefeat said:
Two things here:
1) A kernel of truth. He is absolutely right that there's clear favouritism for Federer and Nadal (especially the former), the "darlings of the media" and of a certain establishment.
2) Victimisation. He has also used, abused and confirmed this notion to build his tennis persona, motivate and ultimately isolate himself further.

Nothing new, really.
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Can't summarize it any better
 
Fedal fans are just too harsh on him. I think he was excessively punished at USO. They robbed him a golden opportunity to win another Slam. But Even after he that he expressed no displeasure. Still he was unfairly targeted by fans as if he deliberately hit that overacting Grandma. Put Federer in same position - I'm sure he would have protested if he was DQed for unintentional hit.
 
D.Nalby12 said:
Fedal fans are just too harsh on him. I think he was excessively punished at USO. They robbed him a golden opportunity to win another Slam. But Even after he that he expressed no displeasure. Still he was unfairly targeted by fans as if he deliberately hit that overacting Grandma. Put Federer in same position - I'm sure he would have protested if he was DQed for unintentional hit.
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They followed the rules to the letter. Can you point to an occasion where a player has struck an official in irritation / anger and not been disqualified?
 
I don't think the media are hostile to Djokovic it's just that lately so many negative things happened such as him taking on the establishment by trying to impose the candidate of his choice as CEO of the ATP, forming a rival association to take on the ATP Council, The whole tone of the Adria Tour in the middle of a pandemic etc etc.
D.Nalby12 said:
Fedal fans are just too harsh on him. I think he was excessively punished at USO. They robbed him a golden opportunity to win another Slam. But Even after he that he expressed no displeasure. Still he was unfairly targeted by fans as if he deliberately hit that overacting Grandma. Put Federer in same position - I'm sure he would have protested if he was DQed for unintentional hit.
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I think the rule is clear. Anyone else would have been disqualified. His fans showed no remorse by blaming the line judge for faking it.
 
Thriller said:
They followed the rules to the letter. Can you point to an occasion where a player has struck an official in irritation / anger and not been disqualified?
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Rules my arse. It was completely unintentional hit. Grandma was standing behind, not in front. And it's very common for Tennis players to hit/throw extra ball behind once they're done with service game.
 
D.Nalby12 said:
Rules my arse. It was completely unintentional hit. Grandma was standing behind, not in front. And it's very common for Tennis players to hit/throw extra ball behind once they're done with service game.
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Mature adults prefer to live in rules-based societies. Idiotic, egotistical children prefer the law of the jungle ... until they meet a bigger animal - and then they get it.
 
Thriller said:
Mature adults prefer to live in rules-based societies. Idiotic, egotistical children prefer the law of the jungle ... until they meet a bigger animal - and then they get it.
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Selective application of rules. They would not dare to do this to Nadal or Federer for sure. Dull for instance was abusing 20/25 seconds rules between serves for his entire career. He wouldn't win a single Slam if they ever applied "clear cut" rules.
 
D.Nalby12 said:
Rules my arse. It was completely unintentional hit. Grandma was standing behind, not in front. And it's very common for Tennis players to hit/throw extra ball behind once they're done with service game.
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I respect you a lot as a poster, amigo. But "completely unintentional"? Really?
After playing professional tennis for 15 years, Novak knows exactly where the lines persons are standing.

Obviously it was not Novak's intention to hurt the lines person, but the hit was intentional - towards the area where lines persons stand.
getInterUrl
 
Krish872007 said:
.. PERHAPS LESS FORGIVEN IN THE PUBLIC IN COMPARISON TO OTHER PLAYERS AND SPORTS STARS."
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How does he know? Has he recorded the results of his public-acceptance-o-meter over the years?
He's doing incredibly well, playing awesome tennis, and he's not even been out of the top 10 in a decade.
Who cares about the public anyway? Just keep playing.
 
The reasons why I don’t like Djokovic:

Yelling at ball kids
Boob throw
Anger management
His unhinged celebrations after beating Fritz in R3 or after beating an injured Federer in AO20

However, I don’t hate him, I rather have pity on him. He’s got a lot of issues. These issues help him win matches but make him lose the support of the neutral fans.
 
My favorite thing might be that Djokovic often gets mocked for caring how people perceive him, all the while masturbating that their favorite player is more popular.
 
I'm glad he's made peace with it. As he said, he can only control what he's doing. No matter what he does, western media will find a way to criticize him so why bother? Just do what you believe is right and let your racquet do the talking. The only reason they attack him is because he's an eastern-European serial winner who has threatened the established order, so keep on going, keep on winning, make them suffer as long as you can.

For me, the harder they try to tarnish his reputation (e.g. latest SI article), the more I respect the guy. Djokovic is a great person and champion and I find him the most genuine out of the Big 3.
 
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