(Video) Novak Djokovic Gives Priceless Reaction to “Let’s Go, Roger!” Heckle During Australian Open Practice Match

Novak Djokovic is no stranger to hostile crowds. He has won some of his biggest titles against rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in front of extremely partisan crowds. Even though Federer is long retired and Djokovic has broken most of the records set by his rivals, the crowd and their sentiments have perhaps not changed much.

As the 38-year-old played a warm-up match against Frances Tiafoe ahead of the 2026 Australian Open, he faced a heckler in the crowd chanting, “Let’s go, Roger,” when he was serving. Djokovic paused, and the crowd started laughing. He too joined in with exaggerated laughter, entertaining the crowd in Melbourne:

"Let's go, Roger!"

Novak Djokovic found the funny side to this heckle from the crowd 😅 pic.twitter.com/hG5bmaM5nx

— TNT Sports (@tntsports) January 15, 2026

Federer is also in Melbourne right now, where he will headline in the inaugural opening ceremony of the Australian Open, where he will be joined by Pat Rafter, Andre Agassi, and Lleyton Hewitt in a ‘Battle of World No. 1s’ exhibition doubles match. Six-time champion Federer last competed at the Australian Open in 2020, where he reached the semifinals, losing to Djokovic in what marked their final professional encounter.

Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open draw

Novak Djokovic astounded the tennis world last year by reaching the semifinals of all four Grand Slams, redefining longevity in sports. Fans are eager to see how Djokovic fares this year as he kicks off his season with the Australian Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is seeded fourth in the event and will commence his Melbourne campaign against Pedro Martinez. This will mark the first meeting between the two players.

He would likely face Terence Atmane in the second round, Brandon Nakashima or Botic van de Zandschulp in the third round, Jakub Mensik or Hubert Hurkacz in the fourth round, Lorenzo Musetti or Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinal, two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinal, and World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz if he makes it to the final.

Djokovic has won the tournament a record 10 times and will be looking to surpass Roger Federer‘s record for the most Australian Open match wins this year. Djokovic will register 103 Australian Open match wins after a fourth-round victory at the tournament this year, surpassing Federer’s record of 102 wins.

Novak Djokovic heaps praise on Jordan Smith

During his warm-up match with Frances Tiafoe, Novak Djokovic gave his take on the Australian Open’s 1-Point Slam. This event saw 48 players, consisting of a mix of pros, amateurs, and celebrity wildcards, battling it out for prize money of AUD $1 million (USD $661,000) in a one-point knockout format on Wednesday at Rod Laver Arena. The event featured many pros like Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Jasmine Paolini.

However, Australian amateur Jordan Smith outplayed the star-studded field to win the 1-Point Slam. The event was a huge fan favorite, and Smith was showered with praise from tennis stars, including Alcaraz, Gauff, and Eva Lys, who tweeted about his win. Smith also interacted with Roger Federer the next day. Speaking about Smith’s triumph, Djokovic remarked:

I saw the guys, obviously, courtside enjoying themselves, and what an amazing evening for Jordan Smith! How about a round of applause for his efforts last night? Amazing.

Smith beat Laura Pigossi in the second round. World No. 2 Jannik Sinner single-faulted to propel Smith to the quarterfinal, where he passed Amanda Anisimova with a service winner. He defeated Pedro Martinez in the semifinal and Joanna Garland in the final.

Also Read: Nick Kyrgios Urges Critics to Stop Asking Novak Djokovic About Retirement As He Reflects on Their Bond: “He’s a Kid Around Me”