
Novak Djokovic never shies away from putting on a show.
Currently in Adelaide, the Serbian tennis player caused controversy this week when he sent the Victorian Government a list of six demands to ease lockdown conditions for the 72 Australian Open players who are currently in quarantine in Melbourne. Some of those demands blatantly neglected the public health advice that is devised to slow the spread of the deadly virus COVID-19.
"People are free to provide lists of demands," Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews responded in a press conference this week. "But the answer is no."
Australian player Nick Kyrgios, once known as 'the bad boy of tennis', gave a deeply considered and clearly heartfelt remark in light of the World No. 1's demands: "Djokovic is a tool."
Djokovic is a tool. I don’t mind Bernie but his Mrs obviously has no perspective, ridiculous scenes 🤦🏽♂️ https://t.co/MMgeriH2GJ
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 18, 2021
As Kyrgios' short comment shows, this is not a one-off bad-moment for Djokovic, and the 25-year-old was certainly not alone in his condemnation of Djokovic's ambivalence and arrogance towards the rules.
In case you missed it, the last 12 months have seen the 33-year-old become increasingly controversial, not only for his antics on the court, but off the court too.
Here's everything that has happened in the last year that has led to Novak Djokovic securing his status as one of tennis' most controversial players.
US Open - September 2020.
At last year's US Open, Djokovic became the first World No. 1 to be disqualified from a Grand Slam singles tournament.
During his match against Pablo Carreno Busta, Djokovic was falling behind 6-5 in the first set when he grabbed a tennis ball out of his pocket and smacked it behind him without looking at where the ball would land.