Loved by fans worldwide, Wimbledon Championships has always been known for its excitement and anticipation. However, this year’s teaser video that was released has unintentionally caused some controversy among tennis enthusiasts. The beautifully made video, filled with its fair share of dazzle, designed to build up excitement for the upcoming event, has received heavy criticism from fans for seemingly overlooking some of the sport’s biggest stars.
One of the main points of focus stems from the blink-and-you-miss appearance of Novak Djokovic, the defending champion and a seven-time Wimbledon winner. The video showcased numerous players like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, etc. This fleeting glimpse of the Serb has left fans scratching their heads and questioning the decision-making of Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic’s blink-and-you-miss appearance raises eyebrows
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The release of the Wimbledon teaser video quickly sparked drama on Twitter, with fans expressing their rage and accusing the tournament organizers of favoritism. Twitter, known for its vocal tennis community, became a platform for discussions about the perceived mistreatment of the defending champion in the teaser. Djokovic’s on-screen presence was reduced to a mere two seconds.
Some fans speculated that the apparent snub of Djokovic could be linked to his past choice of declining the opportunity to become a British citizen when he was younger. While these claims are unverified, they have fueled further debates among supporters of the Serbian tennis star.
They’re so mad Novak rejected playing for UK LMAO https://t.co/xxdo2dbo2X
— Vansh (@Vanshagar24) June 15, 2023
A fan tried connecting Djokovic’s alleged snub to him declining United Kingdom’s citizenship offer.
Holy fucking shit, how have I just seen this? Novak is a 7 time winner and 4 time defending champ and he’s featured for a second max whilst people who’ve never won a title are constantly all over it. Absolutely disgusting. @Wimbledon, you should be embarrassed. https://t.co/p1pKq8wTdt
— Jason (@Certinfy) June 15, 2023
Another fan points out Djokovic’s alleged snub from the teaser.
Let’s face it Novak fans, the fear of Novak tying & then passing Federer is REAL which is why he’s not in the trailer or promotional posters (& Rolex sponsoring 🙄). They’re milking it while they still can because we all know deep down Novak is gunning for 10 WB’s to rub it in 😂 https://t.co/mFvpmhSffB
— Chelseaaaa (@ChelseaRulezzz) June 15, 2023
Another fan attempted to mix up Rolex, a luxury watch brand and long time partner of Wimbledon with the Djokovic controversy.
No mention or photo of the 7x champ and 23 GS winner @DjokerNole ?!!! Embarrassing and shameful, Wimbledon. Do better!! 🙄👎🤦♀️. #djokovic𓃵 https://t.co/CwkqvwN70b
— Mira (@sportsmira) June 15, 2023
A Djokovic fan, calling out Wimbledon, calls it “Embarrassing and shameful.”
Federer with the Wimbledon social media manager https://t.co/jL2Nlre9z2 pic.twitter.com/thwHIXYMvE
— Remember the name (@AngryYoungMan24) June 15, 2023
Another fan resorted to making memes about the incident.
The 2 defending champions got a combined 2 seconds. This is beyond laughable💀 https://t.co/X0ZxZnBNZG
— SPR ™ (@sansparamore1) June 15, 2023
More fans speaking out for Djokovic over the alleged snub.
Tbh now showing Djokovic is just going against them.
He is coming for that Wimbledon record and for more slams exactly because of this disrespect. https://t.co/LGLZ3Y6AFZ
— 24 🇷🇸🐐 (@djokerprime) June 15, 2023
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Despite the controversy, creating a video that satisfies the diverse expectations of tennis fans worldwide is a challenging task. The teaser video’s primary aim is to generate excitement for the tournament and showcase the depth and breadth of talent within the sport, rather than intentionally snubbing any specific player.
In the world of sports, controversies often arise due to different perspectives and interpretations. While Wimbledon hasn’t responded to the social media outrage of fans over the teaser video as of yet, as the most prestigious tennis championship, Wimbledon strives to maintain a fair and unbiased approach when presenting its competitors. Although the teaser video may have inadvertently disappointed fans, it’s crucial to view this incident as a minor mistake in an otherwise celebrated and inclusive event.
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Wimbledon 2023 is scheduled to start on Mon, Jul 3, 2023 6AM Eastern Time.
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