'Verbal confrontation' with the referee, Djokovic booed by the crowd

Novak Djokovic is currently competing in the 2026 Australian Open aiming to secure his 25th Grand Slam title.

Djokovic endured a tense evening at the Australian Open, struggling on court against Botic van de Zandschulp while also facing strong backlash from spectators after a dispute with the umpire.

During the match at Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic started impressively, quickly demonstrating the skill of an experienced player. The former world number one took an early lead by winning the first two sets, seemingly on track for an easy victory to reach the round of 16. However, Van de Zandschulp — who had previously defeated Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 US Open, and ended Rafael Nadal’s career at the Davis Cup Finals the same year — suddenly mounted a strong comeback in the third set, significantly intensifying the contest.

When the third set score was 6-5 in favor of Van de Zandschulp and Djokovic was serving to keep his hopes alive, the Serbian player clearly expressed frustration over the noise from the audience distracting him during crucial points. Chair umpire John Blom intervened, directly reminding spectators to maintain silence, especially during serves and rallies.

Despite this, Djokovic remained upset. He demanded the umpire take a firmer stance rather than just a polite warning, claiming the distractions had lasted too long. This strong reaction immediately triggered boos from some fans, further heightening the tension in the arena.

Under pressure both technically and mentally, Djokovic still showed remarkable resilience. The 24-time Grand Slam champion fought to push the third set into a tiebreak and won it 7-6, concluding the match in three sets and advancing without needing a fourth. This also marked a milestone as the Serbian player reached his 400th Grand Slam match win.

Although Van de Zandschulp lost, he left a strong impression with his gritty play and aggressive counterattacks. The Dutch player even had to request medical treatment in the second set when trailing 0-3 but continued to fight until the end.

After securing the match point, Djokovic again became the center of attention with gestures aimed at the crowd such as signaling for silence, cupping his ear, and even mimicking playing a violin with his racket. These actions caused the Rod Laver Arena crowd to become divided, mixing boos with jeers.

In the post-match interview, Nole remained candid as usual. When asked what message he would give his younger self, he replied simply: "Stay calm"and admitted that he sometimes gets too tense, emphasizing that learning patience is the most important lesson.

Djokovic’s opponent in the fourth round of this Australian Open is Jakub Mensik — who had previously defeated him in the final of the 2025 Miami Open.