"To upset Novak Djokovic's performance you should just sit quietly" - Tim Henman

Tim Henman recently stated that in order to "upset" Novak Djokovic's performance during a match, the spectators should remain silent. Henman said that his reasoning behind this advice is that any kind of jeering from the crowd actually fuels the Serb's motivation, causing him to push himself even harder to secure victory at all costs.

Seeded second in the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, Djokovic secured his spot in the quarterfinals by defeating 15th seed Holger Rune with a score of 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the fourth round. However, during the match at Centre Court, some spectators had booed the former World No.1.

Following his win against Rune, the former World No.1 called out the 'disrespectful' behavior of the crowd during his post match on-court interview, expressing his disapproval of such conduct.

“They were. They were. I don't accept it. No, no, no. I know they were cheering for [Holger] Rune but that’s an excuse to also boo. Listen, I have been on the tour for more than 20 years. So trust me, I know all the tricks, I know how it works, it's fine, it's fine, it's okay. I played in much more hostile environments, trust me – you guys can’t touch me,” the Serb said.

Recently while speaking to BBC Sport, Tim Henman commented on the crowd's actions, suggesting that their attempts to "antagonise" Novak Djokovic and support Rune by mocking and booing the Serb were counterproductive.

The Brit said that the former World No.1 'thrives on confrontation' and uses the energy to better his performance.

“If there were people in the crowd trying to antagonise him and wanted Rune to win - that's the worst thing you can do. He loves the confrontation. He thrives off that energy. And he plays better. He destroyed Rune.”

Henman further explained that if the crowd truly wanted to disrupt the rhythm and performance of the 24-time Grand Slam champion, they should have remained silent, an atmosphere which Novak Djokovic is not familiar with and which would have thrown him off balance and potentially could have led to his defeat, as per the former player.

“If you want to try and upset Djokovic's performance you should just sit quietly. At 37 years of age, and with what Djokovic has achieved, I love that passion and hunger and desire to win. It's brilliant,” Henman added.

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Novak Djokovic further commented on the crowd booing him during Wimbledon 2024 4R

Wimbledon Championships 2024 - Getty Images

Following his win against Holger Rune in the fourth round of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, during the post match press conference, Novak Djokovic stated that the grasscourt Major is historically important because of the fans, their interest and their support.

"If we're here, if this tournament is so important historically, it's because of the fans, because of their interest, because they pay for tickets, because they queue to be here. That's something I respect and appreciate, I said that on court."

The former World No.1 acknowledged that tennis fans will always have their favorite players, a fact he respects. However, he made it clear that he does not take lightly the act of cheering for one player while disrespecting another. He stated that he will always react and call out such behavior.

"True tennis fans who respect the players will always cheer for one player or another, it's completely understandable and they have the freedom to do so. Now, if someone goes too far, I react. That's what happened. After the match I said what I said."

Novak Djokovic was scheduled to face ninth seed Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. However, the Serb advanced to the semifinals as De Minaur has withdrawn from tournament due to an injury.

Djokovic will face either 25th seed Lorenzo Musetti or 13th seed Taylor Fritz in the final four.