Djokovic's salty post-match slap for Demon

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Like astir champions, Novak Djokovic has a agelong memory.

A model into the Serbian star's mentality revealed itself successful his post-match property league aft making abbreviated enactment of Alex de Minaur successful their fourth-round showdown connected Monday night.

On the tribunal it seemed similar Djokovic wanted to punish the Australian and the people enactment proved that, with the erstwhile satellite No.1 losing conscionable 5 games successful the 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 rout successful conscionable implicit 2 hours.

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In his interrogation with reporters aft the win, Djokovic made a telling comment.

"I don't person immoderate narration with him," helium said of de Minaur.

"I respect him arsenic a rival, a colleague, arsenic I respect everyone. I person nary occupation contacting him, congratulating him, etc. But I don't person immoderate different relationship. I don't person immoderate connection with him. He showed successful 2022 what helium thinks astir me."

De Minaur said 12 months agone helium was bushed of Djokovic's deportation overshadowing the event.

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"This full concern has taken a batch of spotlight distant from america competitors," helium said astatine the time.

"It feels similar it's taking distant from america competitors who conscionable privation to start.

"I'm conscionable acceptable to enactment each of this down maine and absorption connected playing my tennis matches ... we each conscionable privation to get connected with our ain stuff.

Novak brushes speech wounded question

"Look, Australians person gone done a lot. There's nary concealed astir that. They've had it precise tough. They've done a batch of enactment to support themselves and their borders," helium added.

"When you're coming in, arsenic good arsenic each different tennis player, if you wanted to travel to the country, you had to beryllium treble vaccinated. It was up to him, his choices, his judgement. Here we are."

Aussie tennis large Dylan Alcott said Djokovic "let the tennis bash the talking" during the triumph implicit de Minaur.

"I reckon he's beauteous speedy to enactment that down him, Novak," helium said connected Nine's coverage.

"When he's retired connected the tribunal helium means concern nary substance who helium is playing. Maybe successful his backmost pouch helium had a small spot of other information to get retired determination and bash it, but helium fto the tennis bash the talking past night."

While Djokovic didn't reply questions astir his injured hamstring successful his on-court interview, his effect to a question from Jim Courier shined a agleam light.

"I'm not going to inquire you however you bushed him truthful convincingly. I'll inquire you wherefore you bushed him truthful convincingly," Courier asked.

Djokovic responded: "Because I wanted to."

The nine-time Australian Open champ besides deed retired astatine those who person formed doubts implicit whether helium is really injured, contempt him visibly labouring done respective matches this summer.

"I permission the doubting to those radical - fto them doubt," helium said.

"Only my injuries are questioned. When immoderate players are injured, past they are the victims, but erstwhile it is me, I americium faking it.

"It is precise absorbing ... I don't consciousness that I request to beryllium thing to anyone."

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