Former World No. 1 doubles champion Rennae Stubbs found herself at the center of controversy after her remarks on Novak Djokovic sparked widespread criticism from tennis fans. The Australian tennis legend, who won four Grand Slam doubles titles and two mixed doubles titles during her illustrious career, recently addressed the fierce backlash she received following comments about one of the sport’s greatest players.
Rennae Stubbs Clarifies Novak Djokovic Retirement Comments After Massive Fan Backlash
Stubbs initially made headlines when she discussed Novak Djokovic’s career on an October episode of The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast. Speaking about the Serbian champion who holds 24 Grand Slam titles and spent a record 428 weeks as World No. 1, Stubbs stated, “He’s not trying to win another Masters 1000 or a 500. He has got all the records; there is no reason for him to play anymore.”
The comment quickly spread across social media platforms, with headlines suggesting Stubbs was calling for Djokovic’s retirement. Serbian fans and Djokovic supporters responded with intense criticism, flooding her social media accounts with negative responses.
Addressing the controversy on Monday’s episode of her podcast, Stubbs expressed frustration over how her words were misrepresented. “These people that take out like little snippets from our podcast… They take that one line, and then they put it up as a headline, and then of course, 65,000 Serbians decide to go after me for saying something like that, taken out of context,” she explained.
Stubbs clarified that her statement was taken out of context and emphasized her admiration for Djokovic. “Sort of paraphrasing. It was not at all what I said. It never is. And I’ll say it again, he doesn’t need to keep playing in tennis anymore, because he’s achieved everything,” she added, explaining that her comments in the original podcast were positive.
How Did Djokovic’s Fans React to Stubbs’ Clarification?
However, even Stubbs’ clarifications failed to ease tensions with some fans, who questioned her reasoning further and remained skeptical of her explanation. The controversy highlighted how quickly commentary about beloved sports figures can spiral into heated debates online, particularly when passionate fan bases feel their heroes are being questioned or dismissed.
Addressing the “65,000 Serbians” comment by Stubbs, one fan talked about Djokovic’s massive fan following on social media platforms. They used screenshots from his profiles and wrote, “His followers on Instagram 16.1m,on X 9.1m .Serbia’s population 6-7m. This casual xenophobia & stereotyping his fanbase into Serbs is not cool.I m not a Serb even i had an objection with Rennae Stubbs quotes.”
His followers on Instagram 16.1m,on X 9.1m .Serbia’s population 6-7m. This casual xenophobia & stereotyping his fanbase into Serbs is not cool.I m not a Serb even i had an objection with Rennae Stubbs quotes. pic.twitter.com/XyEf55hX9q
— Raul (@Raulgunner2) November 1, 2025
Another X user wasn’t happy with the clarification which heated the topic even more. They wrote, “Omg she’s insane. Always has been such a nut job.”
Omg she’s insane. Always has been such a nut job.
— SuzieQ (@egrrrrl8446) November 1, 2025
One fan did not hold back at all while criticizing Stubbs’ comments and her clarification. They went all out, writing, “What an ignorant, arrogant, entitled, self absorbed jerk she is! I take all the context, every single thing she has said over the years to belittle Novak. By the way, I’m not Serbian!” This amount of support from non-Serbian shows just how much Djokovic is respected in the game.
What an ignorant, arrogant, entitled, self absorbed jerk she is! I take all the context, every single thing she has said over the years to belittle Novak. By the way, I’m not Serbian!
— US Nole Fan (@USNoleFan) November 1, 2025
She talked about Djokovic’s Serbian fan following, but a fan pointed out that it was still offensive to non-Serbian fans as well. They wrote, “I’m not a Serbian but I criticised her for her statement.”
I’m not a Serbian but I criticised her for her statement
— Krish Jain (@KrishJain150996) November 1, 2025
Similar thoughts were expressed by another tennis fan who wrote, “I dare say 80% of Nole’s fans worldwide aren’t Serbians.” The statistical figure might not be accurate, but the amount of love he receives wherever he goes, even after beating local players, proves that not just Serbians, but the entire world admires the greatest tennis player of all time.
I dare say 80% of Nole’s fans worldwide aren’t Serbians
— jayyr (@jayyr0099) November 1, 2025
Also, this wasn’t the first time Stubbs made controversial comments about the great Serb. She is known for pointing out Djokovic, and such incidents have happened before, as mentioned by a fan who wrote, “It’s not as if she never took a dig at Novak ever before……..”
It’s not as if she never took a dig at Novak ever before……..
— Nole Fan (@b41063721) November 1, 2025
The dispute between Stubbs and Djokovic’s global fanbase underscores the challenges of media commentary in the social media era. Stubbs’ clarification sparked further debate, with supporters arguing her remarks reflected broader criticism patterns. The incident highlights how context disputes can escalate when passionate fan communities defend their preferred athletes.
MORE: Stefanos Tsitsipas Mistaken for Soccer Star Antoine Griezmann by Novak Djokovic Fan in Chicago