“Get out of here. You’re judged by what you’ve done in the game” John McEnroe slams critics of Novak Djokovic after the Serbian wins his 20th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon 2021
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John McEnroe and Novak Djokovic
John McEnroe is undoubtedly one of the legends of the sport for his achievements on the court during his illustrious career where he won 7 Grand Slam Singles titles and 8 Grand Slam Doubles titles winning all of his trophies at the Wimbledon and the US Open, coming close to titles at the Australian Open and the French Open.
McEnroe despite being famous for his success on the court which includes his record from the 1984 season, when he went 82-3 in the entire season, a record that remains unbroken today in the percentage of matches won, he was also famous for his outspoken and no-nonsense behaviour which often led him into issues with the officials and authorities.
McEnroe has long been the advocate for Novak Djokovic‘s case when it comes to Novak not getting the same treatment by fans as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal get. While the trio shares almost similar numbers and has been as dominant in their 30s as they were in their 20s, Novak for some reason often gets flak from many for what is termed as his “unconventional behaviour”.
“Grand Slam tennis is not a popularity contest. Being that guy everyone loves, the one everyone wants to win, does not get you the ‘W’. And that’s what it’s all about. That comes from supreme talent, multiplied by hard work, times infinity. Hard work on every little thing – game, body, diet, mind. The complete package. It’s not a popularity contest,” said McEnroe.
A guy with 20 Grand Slams cannot be disrespected feels John McEnroe
With the conclusion of the Wimbledon 2021, Novak Djokovic tied Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slams as he lifted his 3rd consecutive and 6th Wimbledon title of his career. Djokovic started the 2021 season with 17 Grand Slams and is now on 20 with sensational performances at the Grand Slams.
“They might think you’re cold, clinical, boring. Hey, they might think you’re a brat. It doesn’t mean a thing. Because what they will give you every time you step onto the court – is respect. Respect for always being there, for consistency. For ferociously, relentlessly pushing for victory. You can’t not respect a guy with 19 (now 20) majors, who’s won every Slam at least twice.
“You can’t not respect a guy who’s lifted this thing (Wimbledon) five (now six) times, who’s done it in the greatest era of men’s tennis ever. Period. This is not a popularity contest. When your time is up, are you judged by the amount of followers you have? Are you judged by how many fans have your shirts and scream your name?
“Get out of here. You’re judged by what you’ve done in the game. And you know what, in time – they might even come to like you,” said a displeased McEnroe who showed support to Novak who had talked during the Wimbledon 2021 about how he plays the majority of his matches against the crowd.
Despite these issues, Novak continues focusing on his game and that has been evident in the 2021 season especially where he is 34-3 for the season going unbeaten on Hardcourts and Grass courts.
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