They came feeling peevish and left jubilant: Djokovic’s fans on their rocky ride

The passionate fans of Novak Djokovic had a peevish start to the week. But what happened on Tuesday night – their hero’s first appearance on a match court since Nine newsman Tony Jones told off-colour jokes about him – was almost enough to wipe away their anger.

Hundreds of fans wearing the colours of Serbia streamed into Melbourne Park at 5pm still feeling slighted, then streamed out eight hours later jubilant – having ridden every electrifying point of a match Djokovic, himself, said he wished had been the final.

Dandenong’s Sara Djakovic at Melbourne Park cheering on her near-namesake, Novak Djokovic, in his blockbuster quarter-final.Credit: Michael Bachelard

Friends Sanja Sucevic and Vesna Medojevic said they’d come specifically because of Jones’ reference to kicking Djokovic out of the country, even though “most of us are working tomorrow”.

They wanted to express their support for a man who, for Serbian Australians, is not just a tennis player, but a national hero.

“It’s about respect, dignity, [and] integrity. But obviously that applies only on Australia. What about other nationalities?” said Medojevic.

The families even brought the kids – aged eight and 11 – one of whom was still awake as the time approached 1am and Djokovic approached a famous victory.

Dandenong’s Sanja Sucevic (left) and Vesna Medojevic from Patterson Lakes at Melbourne Park for the Djokovic v Alcaraz match.Credit: Michael Bachelard

Nearby, Sara Djakovic could not sit down as her near-namesake Djokovic clung on to his break of serve in the fourth set and, deuce by deuce, pounded his way towards victory against Carlos Alcaraz, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

“Literally every point, like, you never know until it’s done,” Djakovic said, jigging on the spot, her hands clasped over her mouth. As for the week’s controversy – it had “definitely fired up the fans a lot,” she said.

“There’s a lot of chat going on amongst the community. I think a lot of people feel a bit unwelcome coming to the Australian Open.

“I know, we came in on Monday, and we had a pretty rough experience just wearing a Serbian shirt. So I think we’ve definitely held back a little bit more this year.”

If the Djokovic fans inside Rod Laver Arena were holding back, it was not evident from the roar at every break of serve or set point.

Djokovic eggs the crowd on to even greater adulation during his match against Alcaraz.Credit: AP

Djokovic’s run-in with Jones, and refusal to do an on-court interview, is just part of a sometimes fractious relationship with Australia. He’s won 10 titles here – more than anyone else – and, after beating Alcaraz in four sets, might just be on his way to an 11th.

But he’s also been thrown out of the country – to popular acclaim – over breaches of then-strict COVID laws, and later complained about being “poisoned” by heavy metals (lead and mercury) during hotel in quarantine in Melbourne. His father posed here – apparently inadvertently – with a Russian flag after that country invaded Ukraine, and last year, and again in the early rounds of this year, Djokovic has heckled back when baited by the crowd.

His greatest fans though, remain staunch.

A full house at Rod Laver Arena for the match.Credit: Penny Stephens

“He’s been dealing with criticism his whole career,” Djakovic says between points, “So I think this is ... just another thing that he has to deal with. I don’t think it’s bothered him at all.”

In the end, what we were all watching was an epic game of tennis as the old GOAT took on the young gun and won, keeping the fans on the edge of, and often out of, their seats.

As Djokovic took the third set in a gruelling, duelling set of lobs and drop shots, scrambling and creative, the stadium erupted. The roar was much bigger than the scattered Serbian contingent. It came from everyone. It was appreciation.

The hardcore of his fan base, however, see his appeal as much more than tennis. It’s about Serbian national pride.

When Djokovic was, in fact, kicked out of Australia in 2022 for breaching COVID regulations, his father Srdjan said: “Our Novak, our pride. Novak is Serbia and Serbia is Novak”.

Before the match, Djokovic’s fans were a little less absolute about it, but the sentiment was similar.

Serbian fans at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.Credit: Penny Stephens

“He’s a national hero,” said Vedran Bukarica, visiting from Serbia and watching Djokovic warm up. “[There’s] less than seven million people [in the] country, we are struggling with a lot of things, political [things], wars … and we are always in this circle.”

Sport though – and winning – gave them a reprieve.

Danijela Ristic, from Sydney, feels the same way.

“Obviously, he’s representing our country … Maybe to some people he’s just a great tennis player. But he’s a great person. He does lots of stuff for humanitarian reasons, [and raises] lots of money for kids ... So that’s why we love him. That’s why we stand by him.”

As a famous victory drew nearer, Djakovic tried to explain what that felt like for the little red-and-white-clad community gathered on the lawn outside Rod Laver Arena.

“It’s a really strange feeling … I think every time he wins it’s such an emotional win. Everyone just comes together in this moment, and we’re all just so united and like just one,” she said.

“It’s a feeling I can’t describe … you feel like the king of the world, almost. You know what I mean? It’s insane.”

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