“Opening a Pandora’s Box”: Novak Djokovic Opens Up on “Unfair Portrayal by the Media”

Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic admitted that being treated differently by sections in the media does affect him, especially his ‘Big Three’ rivals in Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

However, the World Number 1 said that he has learned not to react to how he is painted or presented by certain sections in the media but will continue to be outspoken with his views on the game.

Last year, the 17-time Grand Slam champion copped a fair bit of negative publicity over his decision to step down as President of the ATP Player Council, citing issues with how it was run.

“Have the power only to control that which I am doing”: Djokovic

Soon after, he launched the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA), an alternate front for players, which didn’t win many media friends either.

Asked to comment on the way he is presented by the media, Djokovic said, “I have the power only to control that which I am doing, not that which others are writing about me.”

He said, speaking on how he is portrayed or under-portrayed by the press is like “opening a Pandora’s box”.

The defending champion at the Australian Open said that the “injustice and unfair portrayal by the media” does get to him sometimes, but he has practiced the art of holding his peace and focusing on his game instead.

Novak Djokovic says the negative press is the result of not “being well received by some establishments and monopolies”

“I am a human being, I have emotions and naturally I don’t enjoy it,” Djokovic said, adding that while he would like to be friends with the media, “it seems that this is not always possible”.

He said that he has been in the sport for 15 years and the millions who have followed his career are aware that he has never hesitated to speak his mind and will continue to do so.

The Serb claimed that a lot of what is written about him might be the result of him not “being well received by some establishments (and) monopolies”.

He said his views are often in conflict with those held by powerful people in the game, and the fallout, more often than not, is in the form of the negative press that he receives.

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