“He is no longer there to please,” Novak Djokovic is distancing himself from the crowd feels Justine Henin as booing continues against Nole

Djokovic faced the brunt of the crowd at the recently concluded Paris Masters.

“He is no longer there to please,” Novak Djokovic is distancing himself from the crowd feels Justine Henin as booing continues against Nole

Novak Djokovic and Justine Henin (Image via - USTA and the Telegraph)

24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic created history on Sunday night under the lights in Paris as he lifted a record-extending 7th Paris Masters title. The Serb defeated Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3 to lift a record-extending 7th title in Paris and 40th Masters title overall. Djokovic also closed his gap to Jimmy Connors in terms of career singles titles, standing at 97 titles.

But Djokovic’s one-week stay in Paris hasn’t been all smooth sailing. During his quarter final encounter against the defending champion Holger Rune, after losing the second set in a tiebreak, the 36-year-old went to the changing room for a toilet break. The first seed faced the brunt of the crowd as the French spectators booed him off the court.

YouTube video

Djokovic found the reaction of the French crowd funny, as he laughed while walking off the court. The World No.1 acknowledged the crowd after the final saying that their energy helped him win the title.

FS Video

Former World No.1 Justine Henin believes that Djokovic isn’t there to ‘please’ the fans but to win the tournaments the way he does. Speaking as an analyst for Eurosport, the Former Belgian pro said, 

We know that it is not always pleasant to have the public who, all of a sudden, become hostile and support the opponent. And very intelligently, he cuts short what is happening and at the same time he remobilizes himself. He has a lot of experience at this level.

One of the most unique qualities about the Serb is the way he feeds off the energy from the crowd. Many people have wondered why Djokovic receives less crowd support as compared to his long-term rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. But Henin believes that he has come to terms with the reception he receives from the crowd and has ‘distanced’ it from affecting his game.

But I still think that in relation to this question of the public, he is distancing himself more and more, he is no longer there to please, he is there to play and win and I think that by finally doing so, it still appeals to a lot of people.

Novak Djokovic celebrates his Paris Masters win at Siena Paris restaurant

Djokovic took some time off from his hectic schedule to celebrate his historic triumph at the Paris Masters on Sunday. The World No.1 was seen celebrating at the Siena Paris Restaurant on Monday. In a video doing rounds on social media, Djokovic was seen having a fun time along with his team. The Serb was swarmed by his fans as he left the restaurant.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic with the Paris Masters trophy (Image via – @novakdjokovic/ ‘X’)

Here’s the clip from Djokovic’s night out in Paris:-

Next up, the World No.1 will appear at the ATP Finals to be played in Turin, Italy. The 36-year-old has won the year-end championship a joint-record, alongside Roger Federer, 6 times. Djokovic will be looking to cement his No.1 spot at the tournament. Speaking to Marion Bartoli, Djokovic said that finishing at 1st spot is one of his main goals for the rest of the season. 

I think I need one more victory to secure No. 1. The next three days are recovery. I will put the racket aside and spend time with the family to recharge. Then I will go to Turin, where each match will be like a final of a great tournament. Each meeting has many points, a lot of importance. I will arrive with good feelings, a lot of confidence. I haven't lost a match since the Wimbledon final, so I hope to finish the season on a high.

Djokovic mentioned the Davis Cup as his other goal. The 24-time Grand Slam champion helped Serbia reach the last 8 of the tournament to be played in Malaga later this month. He has already lifted the trophy for Serbia back in 2010.

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