Inside the whacky world of Novak Djokovic: The tennis star whose wild off-court claims get him as much attention as his sporting prowess - from anti-vaxxing to purifying water with your mind

Controversial tennis ace Novak Djokovic has erstwhile again sewage attraction for each nan incorrect reasons aft he had a temper fight erstwhile nan Wimbledon dared to chant his opponent's name.

It seemed nan crowd were simply cheering 'Ruuuuuuune' for his force Holger Rune but Djokovic, arsenic he often does, saw things differently, claiming they were boos for him.

Novak Djokovic's status arsenic 1 of this century's top athletes is undisputed – not a explanation that could ever beryllium applied to his views connected wellness and subject arsenic he often dabbles successful quackery.

His obsession with turning himself into a tennis deity has dragged him astatine times into nan realms of faddism and pseudo-science, overmuch to nan daze of galore of his fans.

A fewer moreover deliberation group are colluding against Djokovic, who has a reported nett worthy of astir £200million, owns 2 New York penthouses, a luxury Miami formation level and a Marbella mansion.

On Monday evening, nan seven-time champion turned his on-court question and reply into a rant astir what he felt were boos directed astatine him during his straight-sets win.

'To each nan fans that person had respect and stayed present tonight, I convey you from nan bottommost of my bosom and I admit it,' he began. 'And to each those group that person chosen to disrespect nan subordinate - successful this lawsuit maine - person a goooooooood night.'

His alternatively non-plussed BBC interviewer Rishi Persad said: 'I americium hoping they were conscionable commenting connected Rune, and they were not disrespecting you.'

Djokovic - who has a way grounds of taking connected crowds - was having nary of that. 'They were. They were [disrespecting me],' he insisted. 'I americium not accepting it. No nary no. I cognize they were cheering for Rune but that's an excuse to besides boo.

'Listen, I person been connected nan circuit for much than 20 years. I cognize each nan tricks. I attraction connected nan respectful group that salary for nan ticket, and emotion tennis and admit nan players. I played successful overmuch much dispute environments, spot maine – you guys can't touch me.'

Rune himself said: 'I mean, if you don't cognize what was happening, astir apt it sounded for illustration boo. But if we each cognize what happened, it was my name.'

Djokovic won nan lucifer 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 and put successful by a region his champion show of nan Championships truthful far. Rune was poor, losing nan first 12 points of nan lucifer and ne'er really recovering.

In his property convention later, Djokovic stood by what he had said.

'When I consciousness a crowd is stepping complete nan line, I react,' he said. 'I don't regret my words aliases actions connected nan court.'

He besides tweeted a photograph aft nan crippled of him stretching for a shot crossed nan court, pinch nan caption: 'Sliding into quarters. Goooooooooooood night.' 

Nick Kyrgios - who is besides known for his on-court meltdowns, told BBC Sport afterwards: 'It wasn't [booing] but I deliberation crowds each astir nan world need to understand that Novak doesn't request much of a motive to play better. 

'He's driven, 1 of nan champion players successful nan world and I've seen it clip and clip again, nan crowd effort to flick nan carnivore and that's not what you want to do against Novak.

'He loves it. I effort not to flick nan carnivore erstwhile I play him… and I really struggle pinch that. Obviously it costs maine my Wimbledon final.

'He doesn't request much of a motive to spell retired location and beryllium to personification he is nan top of each time.'

Clare Balding besides waded in, saying: 'When Sue Barker came retired nan different time group were shouting 'Suuuuuuuuuuuue'. I don't deliberation it's booing.' 

Djokovic's narration pinch nan crowd has not ever been a friends one. After beating Roger Federer successful nan 2019 final, his erstwhile coach Boris Becker said he deserved much respect from nan crowd who had backed nan Swiss star.

And 2 years ago, he was booed aft blowing a buss to fans pursuing his semi-final triumph complete Briton Cameron Norrie.

Last year, he besides played up to nan crowd arsenic he took connected 20-year-old Spanish prima Carlos Alcaraz successful nan Wimbledon final. 

With nan crowd backing underdog Alcaraz astatine times, Djokovic again blew kisses astatine nan fans. 

He was besides met pinch boos during nan last erstwhile he dented nan nett station by smashing his racket successful frustration, based on pinch nan umpire and glared astatine nan Centre Court crowd.

And successful January, nan tennis superstar screamed astatine fans to 'shut nan f*** up' arsenic he deed retired astatine caller rules allowing fans to move astir betwixt games astatine nan Australian Open. 

In Wednesday's quarter-final, fortunately Djokovic will not look a subordinate pinch a single-syllable surname containing nan missive u aliases a double o. It will beryllium easy to separate betwixt boos for him and support for Alex de Minaur.

But he brace do person history aft clashing complete Djokovic's vaccination saga during nan pandemic.

Aussie prima De Minaur was 1 of nan astir vocal players successful world tennis addressing Djokovic's deportation and prohibition from playing successful nan Australian Open.

'Look, Australians person gone done a lot,' he said astatine nan time. 'There's nary concealed astir that. They've had it very tough. They've done a batch of activity to protect themselves and their borders.'

He besides laughed upon uncovering retired Djokovic had grounded successful his entreaty and was to beryllium deported from Australia while successful a property convention pinch chap Aussie Jason Kubler.

When Djokovic hit him past year, he told reporters: 'I don't person immoderate narration pinch him.

'I respect him arsenic a rival, a colleague, arsenic I respect everyone. I person nary problem contacting him, congratulating him, Et cetera.

'But I don't person immoderate different relationship. I don't person immoderate connection pinch him. He showed successful 2022 what he thinks astir me.'

Of course, Djokovic has immoderate immensely enviable qualities - from his linguistic ability, speaking 7 languages, to his sporting mightiness of his 24 Grand Slam wins, including 7 Wimbledon titles.

Yet that prowess doesn't ever look to agelong to nan credible. With his self-styled wellness entrepreneur Chervin Jafarieh he promoted nan thought that nan powerfulness of affirmative thought could cleanse polluted h2o into nan benignant that was safely drinkable.

Meanwhile, his woman shared nan conspiracy mentation that Covid was linked to 5G telecommunication masts.

His anti-vaxx views became evident successful 2022 erstwhile he posted a triumphant-sounding Facebook update that he had circumvented vaccine requirements for an undisclosed logic and was heading for Australia - which prompted nationalist fury and his eventual deportation.

This sadistic collision pinch nationalist sentiment had been a agelong clip coming, a people plotted since nan onset of nan pandemic.

Soon aft it collapsed retired he took portion successful a unrecorded Facebook chat pinch different Serbian sportspeople.

'Personally I americium opposed to vaccination and I wouldn't want to beryllium forced by personification to return a vaccine successful bid to beryllium capable to travel,' he said. 'But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will person to make a decision.' 

The roots of his beliefs connected wellness are entrenched beyond Covid, backmost to nan opening of nan past decade. It was past that he diagnosed himself arsenic having a wheat allergy by pressing a portion of breadstuff into his stomach.

In 2016 he began moving pinch Spanish coach Pepe Imaz, a beardown believer successful meditation whose theories widen to, literally, nan powerfulness of hugging trees. He instituted nan 'peace and love' gestures that travel nan Serb's post-match victories.

When Djokovic began processing elbow problems nan pursuing twelvemonth he tried holistic cures earlier yet opting for accepted surgery. He later revealed that he cried for 3 days afterwards astatine his nonaccomplishment to lick nan rumor done earthy medicine. 

By past he was already a beardown believer successful utilizing hyperbaric chambers - wherever his assemblage is exposed to axenic oxygen astatine a overmuch higher unit than normal - really bringing a mobile type connected a lorry to beryllium parked up astatine Flushing Meadows for nan US Open.

It was not until nan microorganism stopped nan world successful its tracks that nan afloat grade of his left-field views became much evident.

And past came his organisation of nan ill-fated Adria Tour, a bid of exhibitions astir nan Balkans which stuck 2 fingers up astatine immoderate Covid restrictions. 

Amid nightclub carousing and adjacent quarters games of hoops galore of its participants – including Djokovic and his wife – tested affirmative for nan virus. 

The acquisition chastened him, but it has not dampened his enthusiasm for belief searching. He is, for instance, a regular visitant to nan 'Bosnian pyramids' which immoderate judge springiness disconnected a mystic energy.

These are a group of pointed hills which a section archaeologist claims are man-made, an thought condemned arsenic a complete hoax by different experts.

Away from nan sport's rectangles galore person already condemned him, though his views connected vaccines are much nuanced than sometimes portrayed.

At nan ATP Tour arena successful Belgrade successful 2022, which he and his family own, he arranged for those who wanted nan jab to beryllium capable to get it connected site.

It should besides beryllium said that nary jock is recorded arsenic having fixed much to kindness done nan pandemic than he has done. 

There is besides his activity successful trying to thrust done a tennis players' national astatine nary summation to himself, being arsenic able arsenic he is.

He has ever insisted that his vaccine stance is astir state of prime and what personification puts wrong their body. Given nan opportunity he missed retired connected successful Melbourne successful 2022, his continuing stance could beryllium seen arsenic 1 of opinionated self-denial, arsenic good arsenic self-defeating.

One group who will ever support him, if he ever returns, is nan ample Serbian organization of Victoria. A fewer of them person been known to be nan Australian Open wearing T-shirts base a motto that has ne'er seemed much appropriate: 'Novak Against The World.'