tokyo 2020 olympics

Djokovic's temper flares up as he leaves Tokyo empty-handed

32 Comments
By ANDREW DAMPF

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


32 Comments
Login to comment

Summer is the season to leave Japan, not come to Japan, I would be pretty peeved at being obligated to come to Tokyo this time of year for sports, work or whatever.

14 ( +20 / -6 )

@JeffLee, Summer is the perfect time to visit certain prefectures. Maybe not tokyo but definitely okinawa, kogoshima or hokkaido. My favorite three vacation spot. There are many other prefectures to visit too if you prefer the country sides

-2 ( +10 / -12 )

He wasted a good racket too..

8 ( +13 / -5 )

Embarrassing Meltdown. Penalties, fines, sanctions, suspensions … for Japan?

Tokyo Olympic athletes risk blistering temperatures; Japan: “Never a problem” - Sep 18, 2013

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/09/18/national/tokyo-olympic-athletes-risk-blistering-temperatures/

2 ( +4 / -2 )

He was due back on court later Saturday for one final match in Tokyo. He and Stojanovic were scheduled to face the Australian duo of Ash Barty and John Peers for the bronze medal in mixed doubles. But Djokovic withdrew from that match citing a left shoulder injury - handing the bronze medal to Australia.

That would had been the first time in Olympic tennis history that the #1 man and #1 woman facing off against each other, but alas

"Tennis fans erupt over Barty and Djokovic development at Olympics"

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/olympics-tennis-2021-frenzy-ash-barty-novak-djokovic-204930722.html

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Seens like Djokovic overheated. Too bad. Happens to the best of us.

Scathing but truthful report about the Tokyo heat and humidity and how the joc got around it.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/olympics/japans-olympic-organizers-lied-about-its-weather-and-now-athletes-are-paying-the-price/ar-AAMygZD

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Agreed, *@RJ 7:22a, **Another* ‘oppressive issue’ in Japan, played down so the money could keep flowing:

Scathing but truthful report about the Tokyo heat and humidity and how the JOC got around it. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/olympics/japans-olympic-organizers-lied-about-its-weather-and-now-athletes-are-paying-the-price/ar-AAMygZD

3 ( +6 / -3 )

I like Djokovic, but this is a clear sign that he wasted his time coming to Tokyo.

Firstly, very few serious tennis fans care about the Olympics.

Secondly, the conditions were incredibly tough, and there is no way a player of Djokovic's standard would not have known that.

Thirdly, if he goes ahead and wins the US open, he's all but cemented his reputation as the proverbial grass-eating bearded mammal. All he got from these games were exhaustion and a blow to his image due to a temper flareup.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

The high humidity (muggy air) may be a problem, but all tennis players play under same condition. All countries have different conditions.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Poor sportsmanship.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

Nothing Lasts Forever.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Another mental health issue case?

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Another mental health issue case?

Don't think so. By and large Djokovic is famed for his mental toughness at this stage of his career. There were doubts earlier on about his use of timeouts and so on, but by now I think it's fairly clear that he is mentally as tough as they come. This (doing the Olympics) was just a bad decision and he's paying the price for it.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Another mental health issue case?

No, he showed to his match. Just has a bad attitude.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

No doubt it's been insanely hot on some days.

One of the things that disappointed me with the Olympic scheduling is that they did not hold more late night events at cooler temperatures.

The marathon in Tokyo held at 04:00 am with the route lit up could have been an amazing with the athletes reaching the stadium just as the sun rises for example.

Flood lit tennis could also have been incredible.

On top of this, could have enabled a larger global audience (this is a global event after all).

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Bad sport, bad loser, no class.

This is why Djokevic will never be loved, even if he ends up with 40 Majors.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

O'Brien, Wolfpack

Thank you guys!. Have a nice weekend!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

In hindsight he should have claimed a niggle and stayed at home with his family like Federer, Nadal and others who opted out. It's baffling why tennis is in the Olympics in the first place.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Some fans blame it on the heat, but i say that's is just a excuse. Athletes are trained to compete in harsh weather everywhere around the world and everyone was having the same problem when they play against each other. Is not the first time he play in such a heat and it won't be the last time. He had years to prepare when the olympic was announce. He was so eager to get his golden slam that he let pressure get to him. He was playing great all week.

And his biggest problem is his attitude. After he lost his chance for gold, he simply gave up. Doing worse with his next match for a bronze medal. And now not even trying for Nina as a team player for the next match but pull out. No sportsmanship at all.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

 I would be pretty peeved at being obligated to come to Tokyo

No-one was obligated - he had a choice & made it, so suck it up

5 ( +6 / -1 )

But Djokovic withdrew from that match citing a left shoulder injury - handing the bronze medal to Australia.

Nina Stojanovic was deprived of the chance to get a medal thanks to this.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Very unsportsmanlike. Novak wanted the golden slam to flex his ego even more. When things don’t go his way he throws temper tantrums.

He’s also extremely selfish for pulling out of the bronze mixed doubles denying his partner a medal opportunity. It’s all about him!

Novak could learn from what a famous tennis player once said, “ pressure is a privilege’ players need to ‘learn to deal with it”. Oh wait, he said that.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Personality issue more like, maybe even cultural.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Why on earth did he choose to play three events, especially since we all know how hot and humid Tokyo can get in the summer? When the host country brags that the summer weather is mild and perfect to bring out the best in your performance, do your homework first and don't believe them. They will lie, just like their leaders.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

There is no one I wanted to see lose more than this guy. I am absolutely ecstatic that he lost. All the Olympics, but especially these, should be canceled forever and for always. Or at least made 100% paid for by the silly participants. Absolutely NO tax money.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

This was an amazing game! Busta just imposed his will and Joker broke down. I am so sad that Japanese sports fans are missing out on an exciting olympics.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Djokovic. Best he adjust and abandon temper tantrums before returning to the circuit. This, many have declared to be, his year of dominance. What it actually is: The Last Dance. The youngsters are coming into their own and will begin to send him to the exits early on. His main competitors are elderly and their skills diminished aka Federer and Nadal, both will soon retire. And Djokovic is no longer in his prime, either. He happens to be in a spot where the best are of diminished skill & aged - the young are just beginning their ascension and nowhere near their peak(s). Purely by circumstance he has been able to dominate - which is not to deny his skill. Out of the once Big Four, he just happens to be the last one standing.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Djokovic. Best he adjust and abandon temper tantrums before returning to the circuit. This, many have declared to be, his year of dominance. What it actually is: The Last Dance. The youngsters are coming into their own and will begin to send him to the exits early on. His main competitors are elderly and their skills diminished aka Federer and Nadal, both will soon retire. And Djokovic is no longer in his prime, either. He happens to be in a spot where the best are of diminished skill & aged - the young are just beginning their ascension and nowhere near their peak(s). Purely by circumstance he has been able to dominate - which is not to deny his skill. Out of the once Big Four, he just happens to be the last one standing.

Djokovic seems to trigger you like nothing else. Every single time there's a thread about him, you chime in with this.

Face it. Despite bungling Tokyo - he should never have even come - he's still on track for at least one more slam, quite possibly more than that.

Then again I'm guessing he could surpass Federer in every single metric that counts (he's already better head-to-head) and you'd still find some way to deny that he is the superior player. I know Federer fans. Some of the most brainwashed, fanatical people in all of sports, let alone tennis.

What is so difficult about acknowledging that records are made to be broken? Sampras beat Emerson's all time slam record. Federer beat Sampras'. Now it looks like Djokovic is going to break it. Then some time down the line, someone will break it again.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The Tokyo Olympics should have been held after the 20th September. By this time the humidity has usually passed and the climate is reasonable for sports. The August humidity is not suitable for many sports even if the conditions are the same for everyone!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The guy needs to see a physiologist. He really has a mental problem oh he is a bad sport also.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites