Tennis

Alexander Zverev Sends Stern Message To Fans Booing Novak Djokovic

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2018 French Open - Alexander Zverev

Astounded fans booed Novak Djokovic when he suddenly retired after losing the first set tiebreaker of his Australian Open semifinal match to Alexander Zverev.  When Zverev stepped up to speak with Jim Courier for his post-match press conference, he had a message for those fans.

What Zverev Said

Zverev said that it was disrespectful to boo any tennis player who retires with an injury, especially Novak Djokovic who won the title 10 times and gave everything he had to the sport for the past 20 years.  He understood that everyone wanted a five-set slugfest, but it wasn’t to be.

He went on to say that he has the utmost respect for Djokovic who has personally counseled him in the past when he struggled with his game.

Courier asked him if he expected Djokovic to retire. He did not. Zverev added that Djokovic had once beaten him with an abdominal tear and served 20 aces, so it had to be a serious injury to send him off the court early. He thought the quality of tennis was high in the first set but admitted he saw Djokovic struggling in the tiebreaker.

In the interview, Zverev spent more time talking about Djokovic than himself. When pressed by Courier, he said that he hoped his time had come to win a Grand Slam final. Zverev acknowledged that either opponent, Ben Shelton or Jannik Sinner, will be a challenge.

Alexander Zverev and Madison Keys have been around professional tennis for years and have been in Grand Slam finals.  Perhaps it is the time for each of them.

Like Keys, Zverev will be the sentimental choice.