US Open - Djokovic booed for slamming A-Rod

Eurosport - Fri, 05 Sep 16:37:00 2008

Serb Novak Djokovic slammed Andy Roddick for suggesting he had faked several injuries in his previous match after beating the American 6-2 6-3 3-6 7-6 in a gripping US Open quarter-final.

TENNIS 2008 US Open Novak Djokovic - 0

Djokovic had struggled with a hip problem and an upset stomach while battling past Spaniard Tommy Robredo 4-6 6-2 6-3 5-7 6-3 in the fourth round, prompting Roddick to say the Serb had been suffering from "16 injuries."

After sealing victory against Roddick in two hours 34 minutes, the third-seeded Serb said in a courtside interview: "That's not nice anyhow to say in front of this crowd that I have 16 injuries and I am faking it.

"I have nothing against anybody. Andy was saying that I have 16 injuries in the last match so obviously I don't, right?" he added, after booking his place in the last four against four-times champion Roger Federer.

"I am really happy playing against Roddick on his court and in his city in his favourite tournament so to win against him is a huge effort."

With the sellout crowd packed around the Arthur Ashe Stadium court booing the Serb's post-match comments, Djokovic added: "Like it or not, it's like that.

"They (the crowd) are already against me because they think I am faking everything, so sorry."

Two days earlier, Roddick had a spring in his step after comfortably beating Chilean 11th seed Fernando Gonzalez 6-2 6-4 6-1 in the previous round.

"I feel good," the eighth-seeded American said. "I've got to feel good, he's got about 16 injuries right now," he then added, referring to his quarter-final opponent.

In his post-match news conference, Roddick continued to make light of the ailing Serb.

When asked about Djokovic's injuries, he said: "A back and a hip? And a cramp? Bird flu... anthrax... SARS... common cough and cold.

"If it's there, it's there. There's just a lot. He's either quick to call a trainer or he's the most courageous guy of all time."

Reuters

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  1. I cant believe he got Booed, Novak is easily THE MOST­ respectful player on the whole tour and definitely in­ the top 10. He applauds everyone elses good play and he­ shows fantastic sportsmanship at all times. He is­ clearly feeling upset that he is being criticised for­ no good reason.

    From williamdoyle23, on Sun 7 Sep 7:46AM

  2. Hahaha, told you mirjanamrdalj, novak is a choke­ artist. I'll sweeten the deal for you, if novak­ EVER gets ranked higher than 3, I'll find you and­ suck your c*ck. Novak is a dirty serb and should be­ treated as such. I'm ashamed we allowed him on our­ sweet pure american soil. PEACE

    From Bert, on Sun 7 Sep 2:15AM

  3. Novak's fans are so so passionate and the political­ and nationalistic tone of their comments is­ unsavoury.

    I'll still rather see Novak win than­ Nadal but at the moment I see prefer Federer's game­ with Nadal's getting better with his shot-making,­ serve and even volleys/smashes.

    Novak & Murray­ seems rather boring in my view but their game of­ grinding things out wiil always result in injuries.

    I­ am not happy with the injury break and the obvious­ abuse of it. Even the girlies do it - Jelena, Maria and­ then we have the toilet breaks from Dementieva.

    I also­ dont like the time wasting from Novak and Nadal - it­ bothers on cheating.

    Robredo, Roddick and Federer­ must have a point about Novak. Roddick might be an­ all-american boys with his big server and wide grin but­ he is always so sporting. He has lost mant times to­ Federer but he rarely says anything ontowards.

    From cosbaba, on Sat 6 Sep 9:33PM

  4. This is wery sad, I realy dont know what`s wrong with­ people.. This is sport and some @#$% mouth`s are mixing­ sport and politics.. Novak is wery nice person and he­ show that from mach to mach, he is real fair player and­ never whant to abuse other players like Robredo did,­ after all Robredo started all of this because he was­ angry for loosing the mach and nobody manshion hem!­ Rodick is now defending himself but that what he was­ sayin wasn`t a joke, He said that Novak is fakin­ everything! Stop with politics and those craps, I am­ Serbian and I`m prowd on Novak`s results, He shows that­ he have a heart and he play with pashion, not cold like­ Federer or some other players, he have some style,­ maybe strange to other people but that`s who we are and­ that is why are we the best almost in all sports! Novak­ will be No1. IDEMO NOLE ! ! !

    From ignedjordjevski, on Sat 6 Sep 6:50PM

  5. I don't like mixing sport and politics but the­ whole whole world knows that the Serbs are war­ mongering fanatics who've raped and killed­ thousands of innocent civilians in the war with­ Croatia. I fear for Roddicks safety

    From jammycritter, on Sat 6 Sep 9:47AM

  6. I don't like mixing sport and politics but the­ whole whole world knows that the Serbs are war­ mongering fanatics who've raped and killed­ thousands of innocent civilians in the war with­ Croatia. I fear for Roddicks safety

    From jammycritter, on Sat 6 Sep 9:46AM

  7. Novak, you used to be so cool so let me impart a word­ to the wise: Don't be talkin sh#t on the hometown­ favorite. This is the united states, we lynch fools for­ less than that. PS mirjanamrdalj, if Novak does­ anything but choke against Fed I'll find you and­ suck ur c*ck, swear on my mothers grave.

    From Bert, on Sat 6 Sep 8:27AM

  8. NOVAK IS FUTURE KING OF TENNIS

    From Mirjana, on Sat 6 Sep 5:35AM

  9. Novak Djokovic is goin to win the US OPEN ...
    We love­ u Nole...Srbija je uz tebe!!! :)))

    From bmix, on Sat 6 Sep 5:09AM

  10. §§§§§§§ keep guessing & dreaming ________---ony­ 2 in it ----- NADAL -- v -- Federrer

    to­ contest the paper prize $$ 1.5 million $$ ---------­ talk about it again -------MONDAY

    From controlclimate, on Sat 6 Sep 1:09AM

  11. Guys, it will be Nole and Rafa in 2008 US OPEN finals.­ But I am rooting for NADAL. Go Rafa, GO!!! DINARA, Go­ for the 2008 US Open title. Go Dinara, go Rafa!!!­ Congratulations to YAHOOO!!!

    From , on Fri 5 Sep 11:05PM

  12. The comments by Roddick show the difference between­ Djoko and him. Roddick talks and talks before the match­ and then gets beat by an injured player. Djoko keeps­ shut before the match, destroys Roddick and then opens­ his mouth. Nadal vs Djoko for the final

    From arshad_iceman2, on Fri 5 Sep 10:57PM

  13. Great Job Nole,You're the BEST!!! Rodick obviously­ realizes the only one infectious disease he could never­ get is the Serbian will (INAT)and heart. We're­ proud of you!!!

    From ljuticebogdana, on Fri 5 Sep 10:55PM

  14. NOVAK DJOKOVIC RULES!
    NOVAK IS GENIUS!

    From Misa, on Fri 5 Sep 10:44PM

  15. It's not anyone business if he has injures or not.­ If Roddick have been playing better tennis he would­ have won that match. And he should not laugh about­ someones injures, because one day he will suffer it and­ everyone will say that he is faking. Then he will know­ how does it feel...

    From aedwen, on Fri 5 Sep 10:26PM

  16. If the rules allow medical time out, then it is allowed­ and no FUSS about it. The important thing is that when­ one player get rested during medical timeouts, the­ other player is rested too. if a player does not like a­ rest believing it could make him cold, jug a little on­ the court, is it hard or is it easier for a loser to­ drink the SOUR grape juice?

    If one loses the game,­ that is because anyone is capable of losing although­ everyone would love to win the game. One can win or can­ lose but no other person holds his racket for him. It­ is unsportsmanlike to blame the rules or the opponent.

    From , on Fri 5 Sep 9:58PM

  17. guys,you can say whatever you want but,like­ erratic.results said the final will be reserved for­ Nadal and Federer(no doubt).No other one can do it,they­ are born for finals and are the best tennis players­ currently.

    From Faton, on Fri 5 Sep 9:54PM

  18. BRAVOOOOOH NOVAK, U REALLY DESERVE TO WIN AND FORGET­ ALL THE BAD LOOSER/BITTERNESS AND­ UNACCEPTABLE/UNMANNERED VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL­ WORDS...KEEP GOING AND ENJOY THE WORLD OF TENNIS­ VICTORIES!!!

    From are_j, on Fri 5 Sep 9:54PM

  19. Novak Djokovic is a hero and super player!

    From Vladan, on Fri 5 Sep 9:46PM

  20. WELL -- WHO CARES BOYS -- ---- THE $1.5 MILLION $ ­ IS STILL BETWEEN ----NADAL __& FEDERRER

    From controlclimate, on Fri 5 Sep 9:42PM
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