Novak Djokovic Urges Critics to ‘Cool Off’ on Serena Williams After Her Loss on Wimbledon Comeback

After Serena Williams lost to Maya Joint on Tuesday (June 30), some critics slammed her for not showing any gratitude as she canceled her press conference and walked out of the Center Court hastily. Novak Djokovic has now come to the defense of Williams, telling her detractors to “cool off a bit with judgment and criticism”.

Williams was handed a wildcard for the Wimbledon singles, which was highly praised even though some critics believe wildcards for Grand Slams are supposed to be given to home-based players with not much experience. However, Williams’ entry into the draw ushered in a new wave of anticipation in the tournament.

The 44-year-old faced Joint in the opening round, and there were not many expectations on her. Joint ran the show in the first set, dominating the proceedings, but Williams reacted well in the second set. But that was not enough eventually, as Joint found a way in the deciding set to triumph over the former World No.1.

Joint won the tie 6-3, 6(6)-7, 6-3 to seal her place in the second round of Wimbledon. Nonetheless, the match was Williams’ first singles tie since losing to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the US Open in 2022. It was also her third match since returning to competitive tennis after nearly four years away.

Williams didn’t take the defeat as every determined winner does, and was heavily criticized for not attending her press conference after the loss. After Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round of the men’s singles, he was asked about the criticism directed at Williams since her exit from the women’s singles:

She’s 44.. 2 children.. coming back.. it’s normal that she’s still not at her best in terms of movement and.. I mean, she hasn’t played a match in so many years. People need to cool off a little bit with the judgment and the criticism and everything. Let’s just enjoy the greatness and who she is and what she represents to the sport. Her wanting to give it a try and just come back, it’s an incredible gift for our sport. I think people sometimes…

Williams will be on the court on Thursday (July 2) alongside her sister Venus Williams for the opening round of their doubles match. Serena Williams has won one doubles match since her return to the women’s circuit, and that came at the Queen’s Club Championships alongside Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko.

Novak Djokovic expands his views on the change needed in tennis

After Novak Djokovic won his opening match at Wimbledon on Monday (June 29), he didn’t talk much about his performance, which was supposed to be the major discussion after he won Wu Yibing in four sets; rather, he gave his honest take on the current state of the ATP and WTA tour, stressing it needs a complete overhaul.

He criticized the system, pointing out that it has become more commercially oriented than ever, forcing the players to play in more tournaments, which later on leads to injuries. During his press conference on Wednesday (July 1), he was asked what changes he would like to see on tour, which he believes will drive the sport:

There are different ways to innovate. As I mentioned in the previous press conference, we also need to look at the competition format and the rules of the respective circuits. The issue is how to attract new fans, especially younger ones, with limited attention spans. They like dynamic content, which we already have. Tennis is a very dynamic and exciting sport. One-on-one.

Djokovic is into his 20th Wimbledon third round. He will face Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech for a place in the fourth round of the grass-court Grand Slam. A win over Rinderknech may see him face Joao Fonseca in the fourth round, which will be a rematch of the French Open third round last month.

Also Read: Daniil Medvedev Has Idea to Fix Packed Tennis Calendar After Novak Djokovic Blames It for Players’ Injuries