Novak Djokovic apologised to BBC presenter Annabel Croft after a furious outburst during his Wimbledon fourth-round match against Roman Safiullin on Sunday, which resulted in a code violation from umpire Timo Janzen. The Serbian star, aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title, eventually won 7-6(6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals, where he will face Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime on Tuesday.
Djokovic's Outburst and Apology
During a fractious third set, Djokovic loudly shouted expletives, including a word described as "bull***" along with Serbian curses. Umpire Janzen issued a code violation. Moments later, after Safiullin hit a ball at his body, Djokovic smashed a ball away in frustration, drawing boos from the Centre Court crowd.
In the on-court interview with Croft, Djokovic addressed his behaviour: "The outbursts as well. The outbursts, you know, the meltdowns. I had a few of those today. I apologise." He added: "Sometimes it helps to kind of just filter things that are building inside. It's not something I'm proud of when I get warning or something like that."
Previous Incidents
Djokovic has a history of on-court outbursts. He was disqualified from the 2020 US Open for hitting a ball that struck a female line judge in the throat. He also smashed his racket during the 2023 Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz, for which he was fined $8,000 (£6,300).
Record Pursuit
At 39, Djokovic is the most successful male tennis player in history, the only man to hold all four major titles simultaneously across three surfaces. He has won Wimbledon seven times and is seeking a record 25th Grand Slam title this month.
