- Serb roundly cheered despite fears of abuse from crowd
- Detractors remain with fans questioning Djokovic’s character
In the moments before Novak Djokovic returned to Rod Laver Arena, many fans were unsure whether he would be welcomed back as the nine-time Australian Open champion or rebuked as an unvaccinated Covid-era villain.
Even his vocal supporters, like Peta Kovitch, draped in a Serbian flag and a string of lights that lit up the name Novak around her neck, expected some abuse from the Melbourne crowd. “If they want to boo, well they can go to the football. Yep, I’m sorry, that’s where it belongs,” she said before the match.