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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
