Novak Djokovic received a mixed reception while entering the Court Suzanne Lenglen for his fourth-round match against Diego Schwartzman.
Throughout his career, Djokovic has found it hard to command the same fanfare as his long-term rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. He has always found himself playing second fiddle when it comes to fan favoritism.
Although the Serb has a dedicated fanbase, he's always been portrayed as a villain in some of the matches he has played, and the crowd tends to cheer for his opponents. While entering the court in his most recent match, Djokovic was both cheered on and booed, with the boos eventually taking over the cheers.
Djokovic had a smirk on his face, and he didn't forget that as he teased the crowd during the match, pointing to his earn after every big shot he made. Former French Open runner-up Alex Corretja was courtside during the Eurosport live coverage of the tournament and was unimpressed by some of the fans.
"I don't like that. He has given us so much. Just support both players and enjoy the match."
Former French WTA player Alize Lim, who was also on the analyst team, echoed sentiments similar to those of the Spaniard. Lim stated that the crowd needs to show more respect to all competing players.
"That's tough. I think there is both cheering and a little bit of booing as well. No, I don't like that either. Come on, it's the world No. 1, let's just be respectful."
If there is one thing that Djokovic is undeterred by, it is hostile crowds. In fact, they extract his best tennis. And he showed that in a straight-set dismissal of Schwartzman to reach the quarterfinal. He is bidding to win a 21st Grand Slam title and will play rival Nadal in a rematch of last year's semifinal.
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