Novak Djokovic has a huge fanbase, and Thanasi Kokkinakis thinks you can spot them on social media. Over the years, Djokovic’s behavior has stirred up mixed feelings among tennis enthusiasts. He’s known for his fiery exchanges with umpires and fans, yet these intense moments seem to fuel his performance.
Andy Murray, once known for his own on-court temper, played seven Grand Slam finals against Djokovic. In a surprising twist, Djokovic chose Murray as his coach until the end of the 2025 Australian Open. Some like Toni Nadal believe Federer and Nadal deserve more respect than Djokovic due to their conduct, while others appreciate Djokovic’s genuine nature.
His fans have strong opinions about him off the court too. The controversy around the Adria Tour in 2020 and his refusal to get vaccinated made headlines. In 2022, when he was denied entry into Australia despite having a medical exemption from the Australian Open organizers because he wasn’t vaccinated, it only strengthened his online supporters’ resolve.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| rs Novak Djokovic | 37 | 8,360 | 18 - 6 |
Fan Reactions: Passionate or Overboard?
Many admire how he stands by his beliefs even when it leads to trouble—like being detained for five days before deportation in Australia—and feel he was treated unfairly. While most of Djokovic’s social media followers are passionate yet polite, some can be quite harsh if anyone dares criticize him.
Kokkinakis chatted with Denis Shapovalov and Dominic Thiem during an Ultimate Tennis Showdown talk where they discussed Federer’s intimidating presence on court. Kokkinakis also shared how you can identify Djokovic’s fans online—they often use Lacoste emojis in their profiles and sometimes attack other players’ supporters more fiercely than others do.
"In tennis Twitter," Kokkinakis said, "if you like Djokovic, everyone has this little Lacoste emoji." He added that they tend to be aggressive towards critics of their favorite player.
Fans might wonder why some people take things so seriously when it’s just sports! Andy Roddick echoed similar sentiments about these fervent followers on his podcast earlier this year; he finds them alarming due to their extreme reactions over harmless remarks about Djokovic.
“I’m so scared of Nole’s (Djokovic’s) Twitter people,” Roddick confessed humorously but truthfully. “I say something like he was breathing heavily…and they’re like f*** you!”
Loving your favorite players is great! But remember—it should always be done respectfully without crossing lines into negativity or abuse toward others supporting different athletes across both ATP & WTA Tours alike.
What do you think? Are fans too intense sometimes?
