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After their team was eliminated from the Davis Cup by Serbia, Novak Djokovic asked a group of British fans to “shut up” when they attempted to overpower his interview with musical instruments.
Britain was defeated 2-0 in the quarter-final, with Cameron Norrie unable to defeat the world number one.
Djokovic, visibly frustrated, advised the fans to exhibit respect. Jack Draper was defeated by Miomir Kecmanovic with a score of 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (8-6) in the first game of the best-of-three tie, which meant Norrie had to face Djokovic, widely considered the match favorite, for the first time in his career.
However, Djokovic won comfortably with a score of 6-4 6-4 and propelled Serbia to the semi-final against Italy.
Prior to the interview, Djokovic engaged in a tense verbal exchange with a few British fans using musical instruments. He emulated a British fan’s heckle by blowing a kiss towards the crowd at the end of the first set and cupping his ear in their direction at the conclusion of the match.
“It’s normal that sometimes fans step over the line and in the heat of the moment you react too, and in a way show that you don’t allow this kind of behaviour,” Djokovic later explained.
“They can do whatever they want, but I’m going to respond to that. That’s what happened.”
Great Britain, currently a five-time Davis Cup champion, will not qualify for the 2024 knockout stage following their quarter-final exit in Malaga, unless they receive a wildcard for the Final Eight.
Djokovic takes another step towards another trophy
Despite being in the twilight of his career, Djokovic, at 36 years old, continues to demonstrate his prowess with consecutive title wins, further extending his dominance in professional tennis.
Having only experienced defeat at the Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic secured a record seventh title at the ATP Finals in Turin last Sunday. Currently setting his sights on the coveted Davis Cup, Djokovic has added further momentum to his remarkable year, proving a challenging adversary for his opponents.
The serenity and gap in skill between Djokovic and opponents were evident in the match against Norrie. Djokovic secured victory by taking two of his 12 break point opportunities, while Norrie only managed to win eight points on Djokovic’s serve.
Italy, who emerged victorious over the Netherlands earlier, are the next contender for Serbia after world number four Jannik Sinner inspired them to secure the win.
Draper edged in decisive moments in opener
Considered one of the rising stars of the ATP Tour, Draper is still a novice in Davis Cup terms. He was placed in the pressurized situation of knowing he would most likely need to win his singles match for Britain to advance, following injuries to Dan Evans and Andy Murray.
Despite strong recent form, the 21-year-old was unable to outplay the 55th-ranked Kecmanovic, having succumbed to defeat after the conclusion of decisive moments in the match.
Following the loss, Draper acknowledged the challenging pressure of the match and expressed his determination to overcome it in future encounters. “That’s the kind of pressure that if I want to be a top player, I have to cope with and perform under. It’s tough not to get the win today,” Draper said.
