Novak Djokovic rages at Australian Open umpire after receiving time violation
NewsWednesday, 28 January 2026 at 20:43
Novak Djokovic's well-known fiery edge returned at the 2026 Australian Open when he received a time violation from an umpire.
Djokovic had an unusual quarterfinal with Lorenzo Musetti. It was unique from the start since both players were missing their primary coaches. Djokovic's was due to a virus, while Musetti's flew home after the death of his mother.
The Italian did not let that stop him from dominating the opening two sets. He looked on course for victory from that stage before sadly having to retire with an injury after four games of the third.
Djokovic was very sympathetic to his opponent afterward and admitted he would have gone on to win the match. The Serbian will need a significant improvement to have any chance against Jannik Sinner in the semifinal.
Sometimes, a controversial incident successfully fires Djokovic up and makes him play better. That lease of life could have come when umpire James Keothavong gave him a time violation for him returning to play late after a changeover.
Djokovic's tardiness was caused by his inability to find his hat, and he argued that the British umpire could have shown more understanding and given him some prior warning instead of immediately handing out the punishment.
"I was looking for my cap. I was changing. You could’ve given me a heads up, as a gentleman and someone who’s been in sport for a couple decades… Mid first set, first time I go over and you give me a warning. You think that’s fair? I’m not saying it’s against the rules, because I went over. But you could’ve given me a heads up, right? You could’ve told me ‘Hey Novak, hurry up.’ Right?"
This is another classic example of applying the rules strictly vs showing some leeway given the context. Keothavong is known as a strict umpire who enforces the rules, but he would not have faced the same criticism had he shown Djokovic some leniency.
Umpires giving players a warning to avoid handing out any violations is pretty common, which probably heightened Djokovic's sense that Keothavong should have handled it differently. Unfortunately for the Serbian, the moment did not improve his play.
Novak Djokovic showed terrific sportsmanship during Australian Open battle with Lorenzo Musetti
Many online fans were swift to condemn Novak Djokovic when he almost hit a ball kid during his third-round contest at the Australian Open against Botic van de Zandschulp. The 24-time Grand Slam champion would have been defaulted had the ball made contact.
However, Djokovic's sportsmanship during his encounter with Lorenzo Musetti was excellent. At one point, it seemed like the tennis legend had won the point when his opponent hit a passing shot that landed wide.
Instead of saying nothing when the umpire called the score in his favor, Djokovic admitted his racket made contact with the ball before it landed out. That gesture was rightly greeted with applause and respect from the fans on Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic's behavior over the years has sometimes been criticized, but he has undoubtedly been a brilliant ambassador for tennis.
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