Novak Djokovic only has himself to blame over Aus Open scheduling

An Aussie great had a blunt reply to suggestions Novak Djokovic is being hard done by over scheduling at the Australian Open.

Djoker has become a day time player. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Australian tennis great Todd Woodbridge says Novak Djokovic’s scheduling headaches were his own doing.

The world No. 1 has made no secret of the fact he prefers playing at night on Rod Laver Arena as he chases an absurd 11th Australian Open crown.

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After being overlooked for the night session in the fourth round in favour of Aussie Alex de Minaur, the Serbian again played second fiddle to the showdown between Jannik Sinner and Russian Andrey Rublev, with his quarter-final against Taylor Fritz scheduled during the afternoon.

He said after his fourth round win: “It’s no secret I love to play at 7pm, but it wasn’t bad at all today. Not too bad.”

Woodbridge on Friday dropped some inside information that Djokovic knew what he was getting into with the tournament scheduling when he accepted the option of opening his campaign with a first-round match on the opening day of the tournament — a move that gave him an additional day of recovery.

“He started the tournament first, on the Sunday, and it’s my understanding he was very happy to do that because he felt that gave him extended rest throughout the tournament,” Woodbridge said on Channel 9.

Todd Woodbridge on Djoker's AO schedule

“It gave him more time to get ready and at his age he’s looking for that. So that meant that by virtue of having his match play in the afternoon after two days off, this part of the draw has to play first because Zverev played a couple nights ago and so they need the extra rest and that gets them into the evening match.

“So today’s semi-finals were already scripted in the position they are. It’s not about him getting shafted or getting put in the day. It goes back to the very beginning of the tournament where he decided it was best for him to go on the opening day and he was going to go deep and it gave him the best chance of recovery throughout the 15 days.”

Djoker has become a day time player. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Following his demolition over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the fourth round, Djokovic held nothing back when asked about his relationship with the other two members of tennis’ Big Three.

The 24-time grand slam champion has repeatedly spoken of the strained relationship he has with Federer and Nadal — lamenting the lack of closeness with them. He said bluntly last month he is not friends with either of his biggest rivals.

On Sunday, the 36-year-old was asked if he would prefer to be reaching the end of his career playing alongside Federer and Nadal — or if he prefers to be surrounded by the so called “Next Gen” of stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev.

As reported by tennis journalist Sasa Ozmo, Djokovic said he doesn’t have any regrets about not finishing his career alongside Federer.

“I am really enjoying the rivalries I have with all those guys. Alcaraz, Medvedev, (Jannik) Sinner, everybody near the top I get along with quite nicely,” he said of the current locker room of players.

“If I were to compare my relationship with them to the one I had with Federer and Nadal, the relationship with my younger fellow players is much better, nicer. I enjoy it.”

When asked to further explain the comment, Djokovic responded: “I don’t know, it’s just more open, the younger guys are more communicative. We just get along better, that’s it”.

Originally published as Novak Djokovic only has himself to blame over Aus Open scheduling