Rafael Nadal criticizes Djokovic for throwing his racket in anger during Tokyo Olympics
- IndiaGlitz, [Thursday,August 12 2021] Sports News
World Number 1 Tennis player Novak Djokovic had numerous meltdowns at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before he lost the semi-final to Germany's Alexander Zverev as well as the bronze medal match with Spanish player Pablo Carreno Busta.
Videos of Djokovic smashing his racket into the stands and then throwing another into the netpost surfaced online. 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal reacted to the incidents and said that it was strange that Djokovic reacted that way despite being so successful. He reportedly said, Luckily there were no people in the stands and nothing else happened, but hey, they are things that happen from time to time. You have to try to avoid them. This image is not the best. It is important to avoid this, especially as a role model for many children. He is the number one in the world and one of best in history. It’s strange that someone so successful reacts this way from time to time, but in the end he’s very competitive and reacts like that.
Speaking about the multiple meltdowns, Djokovic later apologized and said, It was an emotional outburst and it happens. You're tense on the court, in the heat of the battle. It's not the first time and it's not the last time probably. It's not nice, of course, but it's part of, I guess, who I am. I don't like doing these things, I'm sorry for sending this kind of message, but we're all human beings and sometimes it's hard to control.