Novak Djokovic threatens crowd that booed him at Wimbledon
Novak Djokovic, the reigning Wimbledon champion and a four-time consecutive winner of the tournament, has faced an unexpected challenge from the crowd during his first two matches at this year's Championships. Known for his dominance on the court and his pursuit of tennis history, Djokovic arrived with the aim of joining Roger Federer in the record books for the most title wins at SW19 in the Open Era.
However, the Serbian player was left disgruntled by the reaction of the spectators, who booed him during his matches against Pedro Cachin and Jordan Thompson. Despite securing straight-set victories in both encounters, Djokovic appeared visibly distracted as the majority of the Centre Court crowd rallied behind his opponents. While he has faced hostile conditions from the crowd throughout his career, the cheers against him seemed particularly difficult for him to accept.
In a statement to Serbian media, Djokovic expressed his frustration but also found motivation in the situation. He remarked, "They're actually doing me a favor. The more they cheer against me, the better off I am. With me, they wake up to something they might not want to see - a winner. As a player, you want to have the majority of the crowd on your side, I don't want to play in a belligerent atmosphere."
While Djokovic admitted that he often finds himself in such situations, where the crowd supports his opponents, he acknowledged that it can be challenging to accept at times. However, he also recognized the spectators' right to cheer for his rivals. Djokovic's reaction at the end of his match against Thompson, where he cupped his hand over his ear, reflected his disappointment and desire to respond to the crowd's behavior.
The experience of facing adversarial crowds is not new to Djokovic, as it has occurred in major tournaments around the world. Nevertheless, he views it as an opportunity to find additional motivation and elevate his game. He stated, "It gives me fuel and additional motivation, it inspires me to play even better."
In the upcoming third round, Djokovic will face his familiar rival Stan Wawrinka. Although Wawrinka trails Djokovic 6-20 in their head-to-head encounters, he has emerged victorious in four of their last five Grand Slam meetings. The match promises to be an intriguing battle between two formidable competitors.
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Several Gurugram schools receive hoax bomb threats
Gurugram (PTI): Several Gurugram schools received another hoax bomb threat emails on Wednesday morning, prompting police to launch searches on the premises.
Police said the email was sent by the 'Khalistan National Army', with threats issued to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to declare April 29 as the "40th Khalistan Declaration Day". It also threatened to bomb the Red Fort in Delhi.
Police said it was a hoax as no suspicious items were found after an intensive search.
Several schools, including Shri Ram, Amity, and the HDFC school, received threatening emails at 8.33 am, when classes had already begun, police said.
The school administrations became aware of the threats around 9 am and immediately informed the police, a senior police officer said.
The schools immediately implemented emergency protocols, with many declaring a holiday and asking parents to take their children home safely, the officer said.
A large number of anxious parents gathered outside the schools, as police and bomb squad teams reached the spots and started checks.
"Around 10 schools have approached the police from morning until now over bomb threats. Police teams are alert, and searches are underway on all the premises", the officer said.
As soon as the information about this email was received, police in Gurugram and Delhi swung into action and started investigation.
Schools immediately implemented emergency protocols upon receiving the mail. Many schools declared a holiday and sent messages to parents, asking them to take their children home. Large crowds of parents gathered outside the schools.
The schools were sanitised by sending a bomb disposal squad as well as a dog squad.
A senior police officer said that police teams thoroughly searched the school premises, classrooms, buildings, and surrounding areas. No suspicious objects or explosive materials were found during the investigation.
"Police teams are seriously investigating the entire matter. Cyber experts are being consulted to determine the authenticity of the email, its source, and the identity of the sender", added the officer.
This is the third time since January that schools have received fake bomb threats.
In March, at least a dozen schools in the city received bomb threat emails, which later turned out to be hoaxes.
Similarly, on January 28, as many as 13 schools received hoax bomb threats via email, forcing authorities to evacuate campuses and suspend classes.
Last month, police arrested a Bangladeshi national whose email ID was allegedly used to make a bomb threat for some payment.
