Shameful treatment of Novak Djokovic is a ‘shameful indictment’ on Australian Open crowds

It’s no secret Australian Open fans are choosy about who they embrace as heroes. Some reactions were a shameful indictment on the country. And Jannik Sinner felt a touch of that on Sunday.

Spoiled rotten by the cavalcade of champions that have adorned Rod Laver Arena in recent times, the woke mob running Australian tennis still don’t realise how good they have got it.

While there’s no formal recognition of Australia Day during the biggest sporting event in the country, organisers still rake in a fortune from selling tickets to the men’s final on our national holiday.

There’s no inclusion of Australia Day in the pre-match ceremony, yet tennis bosses still honoured Australian of the Year Neale Daniher, who was, quite rightly, given a standing ovation by the centre court crowd.

It’s no secret that only the well-heeled can afford the steep prices for tickets to the Australian Open men’s final and they are choosy about who they embrace as their heroes.

Australian of the Year Neale Daniher was welcomed by the Melbourne crowd. Picture: NCA Newswire

Daniher was a popular and deserving choice.

But tennis players, on the other hand, receive mixed receptions, often after getting caught up in petty politics they have no part in.

Roger Federer could not have been made to feel more welcome in Melbourne if he had been born at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Parkville instead of Switzerland.

And Spain’s Rafa Nadal was also treated like a true-blue, dinky-di Aussie whenever he came Down Under, but not so for Novak Djokovic.

Despite being a 10-time Australian Open champion, Djokovic was shamefully booed when he pulled out of his semi-final with what turned out to be a legitimate and serious hamstring injury.

Novak Djokovic says farewell to the Australian crowd. Picture: Getty

It was a shameful indictment on the behaviour of Australian tennis crowds and organisers who need to do better when looking out for competitors.

The Serbian is still paying the price for his humiliating misadventure into Melbourne in 2022, when he was detained and deported after being caught up in the bunfight between politicians and tennis administrators who were clueless about dealing with the Covid regulations at the time.

No matter what anyone thought of Djokovic’s divisive views on vaccination at the time, Australia’s humiliation of the GOAT remains a national embarrassment.

Even now, the Melbourne Park crowds are fussy about their champions.

Italy's Jannik Sinner hasn’t yet fully won over the Australian crowds. Picture: AFP

Jannik Sinner still hasn’t won everyone over despite winning his second successive Australian Open title on Sunday night, getting a lukewarm reception after his name was engraved on the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup for the second time.

He may not have the charisma of Federer or the charm of Nadal or the stubborn determination of Djokovic, but Sinner might yet turn out to be just as good as the Big Three.

It’s still early days, of course, but at 23 Sinner is already making big strides, clinching his third grand slam title with a 6-3 7-6 6-3 demolition job of Germany’s Alexander Zverev on Sunday night.

Pitted as a battle between the top two players in the world, it was all one-way traffic as Sinner patiently waited for his chances to devour his prey.

For tennis purists, Sinner is a master at work.

But for casual watchers, he’s boring because he just wins so easily.

Only time will tell if he gets the recognition he deserves.

Originally published as Shameful treatment of Novak Djokovic is a ‘shameful indictment’ on Australian Open crowds