Novak Djokovic confronted a cameraman during his French Open third-round match against Joao Fonseca, demanding more personal space. The incident occurred as Djokovic, leading by two sets, searched through his bag during a changeover when the camera operator moved within a couple of feet.
“Can you come any more in my face?” Djokovic said, visibly frustrated. “For God’s sake, make some space.” The cameraman retreated, and Djokovic left the court shortly after.
The 39-year-old Serb has a prime opportunity to claim a record 25th Grand Slam title in Paris, following the shock exit of top seed Jannik Sinner and the absence of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic is now the only Grand Slam champion remaining in the men's draw.
Djokovic has previously spoken about the need for privacy, referencing an incident at the Australian Open where Coco Gauff’s racket-smashing was broadcast. He agreed with Iga Swiatek’s comment that players felt like “animals in a zoo”. Djokovic said: “It’s really sad that you can’t basically move away anywhere and hide and fume out your frustration... I’m surprised that we have no cameras while we are taking a shower – that’s probably the next step.”
The episode echoes a similar complaint by American player Danielle Collins at a Strasbourg tournament last season, who said: “I was asking for personal space at my work place. It should be something that we can get to have during our work.”
