Novak Djokovic displayed his humorous streak, intertwined with confidence, while dealing with a heckler during his matchup against World No. 31 ahead of the 2026 Australian Open. The Serbian-Greek legend has begun his 2026 season at the age of 38, with the first Grand Slam of the season, and will be clashing against Alzira, Spain’s native, in his first round.
Novak Djokovic Reacts Comically to a Heckler Featuring a Roger Federer Message
Djokovic is coming off a notable season, during which he reached the semifinals of all Grand Slams, etching his name in history as the oldest player in the Open Era to do so. Furthermore, despite his age, when most players retire or are in decline from their prime, Djokovic won two titles: the Geneva Open and the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship.
In addition, he also qualified for the ATP Finals for a record-tying 18th time but remained out of action due to a shoulder injury. Djokovic has now moved closer to his on-court rival’s title count, as the Swiss legend Roger Federer retired from his decorated career with 103 titles, compared to Djokovic’s 101.
During his warm-up match against Frances Tiafoe, Federer’s name was featured when a heckler shouted at Djokovic, who was about to serve. The fan called out, “Let’s go, Roger!” to which the Belgrade native replied with a funny, animated laugh, taking the message in stride. The official Australian Open account shared the moment, adding the caption, “ðŸ¤ðŸ¤£.”
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Before commencing his Australian Open run, he was supposed to play in the Adelaide International but had to withdraw to maintain his form for the Grand Slam. He had also shared his message, mentioning, “To all my fans in Adelaide, unfortunately, I am not quite physically ready to compete in the Adelaide International next week. It’s personally very disappointing to me as I have such great memories of winning the title there two years ago. I was really excited about returning as it truly feels like playing at home.”
He continued highlighting his plans, “My focus is now on my preparation for the Australian Open and I look forward to arriving in Melbourne soon and seeing all the tennis fans in Australia.”
For his first round at Melbourne Park, Djokovic, who has won ten Australian Open titles, will clash against Pedro MartÃnez, the former World No. 36, marking their first meeting in their careers.
