Novak Djokovic has long been a victim of unfair media coverage compared to Federer, Nadal and Williams.
After beating Raonic last night, Djokovic discussed his mercurial relations with the world media…
“That’s like opening Pandora’s box. If we begin to discuss that, we won’t finish this evening. Presumably there are millions of different reasons.”
“Truthfully, I have mostly made peace with it. I cannot say that it doesn’t sometimes get to me – of course an injustice or an unfair portrayal by the media affects me. I am a human being, I have emotions and naturally I don’t enjoy it. I would sincerely like to have a good relationship with them, but it seems that this is not always possible. I do my best to focus on the positive things and the positive articles.”
“I have the power only to control that which I am doing, not that which others are writing about me, how they judge or criticise me. After all, that is up to them and has nothing to do with me, I can’t influence it. I’ve been on the Tour now for more than fifteen years and anyone who has followed tennis knows my evolution both as a player and as a person. I have never had a problem with expressing what is on my mind and that is something which some people may not like.”
“I have spoken about things which may not have been well received by some establishments, monopolies; in relation to politics within tennis for example (Djokovic is one of the founders of the PTPA, the Professional Tennis Players Association). Basically, perhaps I antagonize people and then those things (treatment in the media) happen”
“Nobody in the media can break my spirit, for my connection with my own soul and consciousness is deeper than any news that is written about me and any sort of public criticism. I know who I am, what I am, where I am, where I’ve been and where I’m going – I proudly point all that out. I am able to be grateful, I am able to put my hands up and apologize when I have made a mistake, but yes, my mistakes are perhaps less forgiven in the public in comparison to other players and sports stars.”
“Of course it hurts when baseless criticism is fired your way and when you’re treated differently, but in a way, that is the path I have chosen. As I mentioned, I find fault with and call out people and groups that most likely want to maintain the status quo in which they can reap the benefits in various ways, and that is something that I stand against. That is that”.
Asics · Head Speed Pro · Lacoste · Nole · Novak · Novak Djokovic · Serbia
Sam · February 16, 2021 at 3:24 pm
Well, Scoop, if the mainstream “media” (to use that term very loosely–“terrorists” would be far more accurate 😝) are against you, then you must be doing *something* right.
Incidentally, this media bias has been around for ages. I assume you know who Michelle Kwan is? Anyway, back in ’90s, Michelle Kwan was *worshipped* by the media, while newcomer Tara Lipinski (who was just a couple of years younger) was always given short shrift by the media. That’s why it was so great to see the conceited Kwan knocked off her “pedestal” at both the 1998 and 2002 Olympics. 😁
Wayne Collins · February 19, 2021 at 10:24 am
Hi Scoop, new reader here. What’s the deal with the fanatical vilification/character assassination of Djokovic by the British newspaper the Daily Mail?(Yes I’m referring to the one that supported Hitler and Mussolini during the 1930’s all the way up to just a few months before the outbreak of WW2)Practically every ‘piece’ they put up is a hatchet job which tries so damn crazy hard to portray Novak in the worst possible light. Like he was a serial killer or something? LOL In a recent tirade the Daily Mail focused on him smashing his racket against Zverev as if this was the first time ever in tennis history that a player smashed a racket? LOL They also accused Djokovic of ‘faking’ his abdominal injury but never mentioned Rafael Nadal’s stalling tactics or his old fake knee injury and his most recent fake back injury. I really don’t understand the fanatical hatred this British paper has for Novak while giving other players like Nadal a free pass. What’s up with that?
Scoop Malinowski · February 19, 2021 at 10:40 am
Good question Wayne. I was not aware of this bias by a respected newspaper against the world’s best player. I guess it proves media has agendas. And the media manipulates. Maybe it’s a personal hostility by a Daily Mail executive editor, maybe it’s outside forces manipulating this negativity agenda against Djokovic. I can tell you in boxing, certain powers that be have manipulated/bought certain writers to be biased and negative to discredit certain fighters who were threats to the business plans that the establishment wanted to do. There was an orchestrated smear campaign against Lennox Lewis by certain American boxing writers in the 90s. There was a smear campaign against Manny Pacquiao in the 2009-2015 years. This was done to protect certain franchise money fighters who were inferior to Lewis and Pacquiao. It very well could be an organized media manipulation agenda against Djokovic. Motive? We can only speculate.
Wayne Collins · February 21, 2021 at 5:54 am
Hi Scoop, thank you for taking the time to explain the ridiculous anti-Djokovic bias by the media and how it relates to the bias against boxers like Lennox Lewis and Manny Pacquiao during the 90’s. I really appreciate the detail in your explanation. It’s very clear the corporate media has been trying to break Novak’s spirit and damage him psychologically with the all the lies and exaggerations said about him. Well the fantastic news is…I just watched Novak prove them all dead wrong and defeat Medvedev and win the 2021 Australian Open Grand Slam!! LOL!! So the media campaign to make him lose his nerve and thereby lose the AO championship BACKFIRED badly on them! ROFLMFAO! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Scoop Malinowski · February 21, 2021 at 8:37 am
Wayne, you’re welcome, and thanks for reading the site and raising this issue. The media are not media anymore, they are political activists with agendas. But Novak Djokovic is very possibly the greatest tennis player in history and he will not be denied in his mission to prove it.
Scoop Malinowski · February 21, 2021 at 1:26 pm
Even Golf Digest is trying to demonize Djokovic. Shame on these biased, despicable media jackals. https://www.golfdigest.com/story/novak-djokovic-personality-2021-australian-open-tennis/amp