Wimbledon 2024 live updates: Latest day eight, Djokovic advances, Fritz beats Zverev

“Novak seems to embrace the hecklers (in the audience)… I wouldn’t say he hates them… but he embraces them.” – Chris Fowler.

Um, yes. Please watch his loss in the 2021 US Open final against Daniil Medvedev, where he openly cried in front of the crowd and was loved the way he always wanted to be. That’s not to say he doesn’t thrive in chaos, but that was a moment when it seemed like he would never be able to return from his “villain” role.

Djokovic isn’t exactly your typical sports villain, but he knows his quick wit and attitude were never quite as popular as those of Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer, and he’s certainly embraced that.

It seems to be part of his personality because it doesn’t seem like he could change it if he wanted to. Roger and Rafa were so kind, so friendly, and so unwilling to make a fuss unless they had to for some reason.

Novak even had to ask the referee beforehand why the crowd was “booing” when in reality they were “yelling” at Holger Rune. My impression is that he knew. And he always knows the answer to such questions.

But it gives him energy, and that’s what hitmen do in sports. They find ways to spur themselves on. That’s especially important in an individual sport like tennis, where any kind of support that doesn’t come directly from the crowd is discouraged.