Djokovic received a time violation warning from Chair Judge Mohamed Lahyani. Photo: Getty Images/Matteo Ciambelli
Novak Djokovic's busy week in Rome continued with yet another showdown on the court.
After receiving a time violation warning from tower umpire Mohamed Lahiani, the world number one responded by accusing the Swede of acting more like a tragedian than like a tennis referee.
The outbreak came 24 hours after Djokovic's violent skirmish with British No. 1 Cameron Norrie and shortly before he was knocked out of the Italian Open by Dane Holger Rune.
«What's the drama in what you're waiting for between English and Italian?» yelled Djokovic, who had just been warned for exceeding the allotted 25-second period between points. Are you playing here or what? Why are you calling the bill in 20 seconds?»
The outburst drew knowing nods from tennis fans on social media. While Lahiani is generally regarded as one of the best referees on the tour, he is also known for his flamboyant and extremely loud manner in which he announces the score.
This may seem like an obscure detail, but refereeing rules state that the referee must start a 25-second shot clock immediately after the score is called.
Djokovic will compete in the French Open without a clay court semi-final for the first time since 2005. Photo: Getty Images/Matteo Ciambelli
Lahiani first used Italian and then English, but the dramatic nature of the entire performance made it difficult for Djokovic to accurately determine how much time he had left.
At least the players maintained a spirit of mutual respect, in contrast to Djokovic's stormy meeting with Norrie on Tuesday. After this match, he accused the No. 1 Brit, who had given him a full-blooded left leg kick, of «foul play».
Djokovic's interview at the press conference also revealed that he was complaining about Norrie celebrating points too aggressively and calling a medical time-out at what appeared to be a tactical moment. Djokovic wasn't the only one showing hostility towards Lahyani.
Rune was outraged when Lahiani insisted that Djokovic's return came to the back line, resulting in his first missed serve of the match. «You're an absolute joke,» Rune raged during the ensuing shift.
Djokovic was visibly frustrated with his under par performance in 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 defeats. The result means he will go to Roland Garros without a clay court semi-final. It is noteworthy that in his entire legendary career this happened only once, in 2005, shortly after he turned 18 years old.
It seems that health problems have affected Djokovic. He called medical personnel to the court after three games to deliver painkillers and still wore a sleeve on his suspected right elbow that kept him away from Madrid.
He was usually a step below his usual electric speed, especially during the first set, although his natural qualities are such that Rune still needed to show outstanding results.
The upset reinforces the impression that the upcoming French Open, which kicks off in Paris a week later on Sunday, will be one of the most unpredictable major tournaments in decades.
With Djokovic lacking his usual clinical edge and Rafael Nadal off the tour since January, Rune and Carlos Alcaraz (born a week apart in 2003) are becoming bookies' favorites.
And their chances were further reduced when Nadal announced he would hold a press conference on Thursday at his tennis academy in Mallorca. He is expected to likely pull out of Roland Garros.
The Italian Open may have been Djokovic's most successful tournament outside of the four Grand Slams. He has six titles there, and a total of 67 victories.
But this exit means Sunday's final will be the first in Rome that neither Djokovic nor Nadal will compete in since 2004. Djokovic lagged behind throughout yesterday's match, starting with a lost innings.
Even in the middle set he stole on the run, there were some anomalies, including a controversial line call that broke Rune's concentration, and an hour-long break in the rain.
When the players returned, Djokovic quickly scored the two points needed to complete the set. But he soon returned to a 0-4 deficit in the decider as Rune turned on the style.
It was a match full of incidents, including a 34-shot rally that the Amazon Prime commentary team immediately called the highlight of the year.
A lung-ripping, thigh-burning exchange ended, as you might expect, with one of Rune's many delightful strikes, this time with a deadly scrawl that turned sideways to avoid Djokovic's punch.
Holge Rune will be in the top 5 in the world if he wins in Rome. Photo: Getty Images/Alex Pantling
“I enjoyed every moment there,” Rune said. His obvious passion for combat is part of an irresistible package and has brought him into conflict with a couple of players, notably Stan Wawrinka and Kasper Ruud, in the past.
However, he and Djokovic, whom he beat twice in a row, seem to get along well, and Djokovic said on Tuesday that Rune reminds him of himself when he was young.
Djokovic will slide back to No. 2 in the new world rankings on Monday after Alcaraz, while Rune could potentially climb into the top five if he wins this tournament.
This result was another impetus in the gradual displacement of the tennis tectonic plates. But while Djokovic may have suffered some unusual defeats of late — like 21-year-old Lorenzo Musetti in Monte Carlo or compatriot Dusan Lajovic in Banja Luka — he's a different beast at the majors, where he likes to bet the next generation. in their place.
The youngest person to beat him at the Slam remains Hyun Chung of South Korea, who turns 27 this week. Meanwhile, away from the court, Djokovic is reportedly closing his tennis center in Belgrade after 15 years.
In 2021 and 2022, he hosted the Serbian Open tournaments there, but only under a license leased to him by Romanian billionaire Ion Tiriac. And Tiriac has since regained his license.
Meanwhile, Andy Murray lost 6-3, 6-0 to Stan Wawrinka in the second round of the ATP Challenger Tour in Bordeaux.
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