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Djokovic supports Collins, calls for relaxed tennis atmosphere

Novak Djokovic Backs Danielle Collins and Suggests Loosening Tennis Traditions

Novak Djokovic has voiced his support for Danielle Collins after her humorous response to a hostile crowd at the Australian Open and called for tennis to embrace a less conservative and more entertaining approach.

Collins’ Cheeky Response

Collins faced boos from the crowd after defeating Australian wildcard Destanee Aiava in the second round on Thursday. In response, she blew kisses to the audience and joked about using their heckling to fund her next five-star vacation. Her reaction drew praise from Djokovic, who also dealt with heckling during his third-round victory on Friday.

“I loved her response,” said Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion. “Everything she said on and off the court was funny, smart, and just brilliant. I was already a fan of Danielle Collins, but now, I’m a big fan.”

Djokovic Calls for Modernizing Tennis

Djokovic took the opportunity to address what he sees as the sport’s overly conservative traditions. While acknowledging tennis’s proud history, he suggested the need for modernization to engage younger audiences better.

“We’ve been a little behind other sports when it comes to adapting to societal changes,” Djokovic said. He praised recent updates, such as allowing spectators to move during play, as steps in the right direction but urged more significant changes.

Entertainment During Breaks

The Serbian star proposed introducing entertainment during breaks in play, similar to other sports like the Super Bowl or NBA games. “Why not have dancers or performances between sets?” he said. “It would bring a fun element to tennis and help connect with younger audiences. Tennis has been quite traditional, maybe even conservative, in some ways. I’m up for gradual changes—starting with dancers, perhaps.”

Djokovic did, however, single out Wimbledon as an exception. “Wimbledon has its own charm, and I wouldn’t change much there,” he added, emphasizing the importance of balancing tradition with innovation.

Embracing Change

Djokovic’s comments reflect his belief that tennis can honor its traditions while evolving to stay relevant in an era of shorter attention spans. By incorporating entertainment and loosening some strict rules, Djokovic suggests, the sport could attract broader audiences without losing its core identity.