Novak Djokovic blasts ‘sabotage’ and calls for major change in Saudi Arabia | Tennis | Sport


Novak Djokovic has suggested that tennis is “sabotaging” itself when it comes to innovation. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is currently in Saudi Arabia for the Six Kings Slam exhibition and appeared on the Joy Forum panel, where he spoke about the state of the sport.

Appearing alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Dana White, and Max Kellerman, Djokovic said he wanted to be part of the change to “rejuvenate” tennis. It comes weeks after the Serbian superstar spoke out about the demanding tour schedule.

Speaking at the Joy Forum on Thursday, Djokovic admitted that he realised he needed to be himself instead of accepting tennis’ norms, and went on to address the “unused potential” in the sport.

“So the way I would describe it is conforming to the society’s norms, or conforming to the tennis norms or rules, quote unquote, imaginable rules that you have to dress a certain way,” Djokovic explained.

“Tennis has been a sport of elites, has that kind of foundation…good, because we have a heritage and tradition and history that we’re proud of, and it’s a very global sport.

“But it has so much potential that is unused, and that is on the bad side, because the innovation is obstructed, it’s sabotaged, because you have to behave a certain way that we’ve gotten used to seeing people talk or play.”

The obstruction and sabotage Djokovic mentioned could be a reference to the tennis calendar. There has been a growing debate about the extended Masters 1000 tournaments, with seven of the nine events now lasting 12 days instead of seven.

At the recent Shanghai Masters, the world No. 5 explained that he had always been wary of the lengthened format and called on his colleagues and rivals to team up and enact change rather than complain.

However, Djokovic is still hopeful that there will be a big shift in the next couple of years.

“I feel like tennis is a sport that can be greatly transformed and I want to be part of that change, not just part of their change but I want to be playing when we kind of rejuvenate our sport and set the new platform that is going to go on for decades to come,” he added.

Change could well be coming, as top players have twice banded together this year, sending a letter to the Grand Slam tournaments asking for a greater share of revenues and contributions to player programmes, including pensions.

Djokovic signed his name on the original letter, sent in March, but did not sign his name on the second letter, sent at the end of July.

Speaking in April, the 38-year-old said: “Hopefully the Grand Slams will respond positively and want to have the players in the room and sit down and talk about the revenue shares, about not just that, but also I think players feel that they need to have counsel with Grand Slam committees and management when they are making some big changes or decisions.”



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