Novak Djokovic Must Manage Emotions and His Game to Keep Wimbledon Crowd on Side

When Novak Djokovic takes on Roger Federer in the 2015 Wimbledon final, the Serb must manage his emotions to keep the Centre Court crowd from turning against him. 

Djokovic defeated Richard Gasquet, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4, to reach his fourth Wimbledon final in five years. It's his 17th appearance in a Grand Slam final.

An eight-time Slam champion, you'd think Djokovic would have won over more fans by now. However, he will arrive at All England Club on Sunday as the favorite to win, but with the crowd solidly behind his opponent.  

This needn't surprise Djokovic. Federer is beloved and adored. He's been the face of tennis for two decades. It's also been three years since Federer last won a Slam (Wimbledon 2012). Of course, the fans will be rooting for Roger.

Still, Djokovic must avoid turning an unsupportive crowd into a hostile environment. A stadium behind your opponent is quite different than one rooting against you. 

Think back to last week, when British No. 1 Heather Watson took on Serena Williams, another dominant player. People were shouting "out" and yelling things while the ball was in play. The outburst frustrated Williams and she addressed the situation with the chair umpire.

"It was really intense today. I don't think I've ever played with a crowd here like that. They were really vocal, in between points, during points. ... Yeah, I've never seen them so vocal. I've never heard boos here, so that was new for me," Williams told reporters. 

Fortunately for Djokovic, he's not facing British tennis hero Andy Murray. But playing Federer won't be much easier. This is why Djokovic has to avoid enticing the crowd to root against him. 

Winning over the crowd has been a career-long struggle for Djokovic, who had the misfortune of arriving on the scene during the pinnacle of the Federer vs. Rafael Nadal rivalry. Tennis fans had chosen sides when Djokovic inserted himself into mix. 

In an article titled, "Where's the Love for Tennis Superstar Novak Djokovic?" Suzi Petkovski, of Inside Sport, called Djokovic the "slayer of the two-headed tennis monster 'Fedal.'" She makes the case that although Djokovic has clearly established himself as the top player on the ATP Tour, he appears underappreciated by fans. 

Petkovski wrote:

"

Underappreciated, much? Djokovic is the leading major winner (six titles) and match-winner of the past four years. His three seasons as No.1 (2011/12/14) equal Nadal, whose injury woes prevent him from being a durable No.1. The 42-chapter Djokovic-Nadal rivalry is the longest-ever in men’s tennis; at 23-19 to the Spaniard, it’s far closer than Nadal’s at-times painful mastering of the Swiss master. Yet Federer-Nadal is still held up as the showpiece tennis rivalry. Perceptions are lagging behind reality.

"

At this year's French Open, fans at Roland Garros greeted Djokovic with a 90-second standing ovation after he lost to Stan Wawrinka. But that was after defeat. During the match, the crowd booed Djokovic when he smashed his racket into the clay. 

Douglas Perry, of the Oregonian sought to answer, "why fans don't love Novak Djokovic." Perry believes Djokovic left a sour taste in the mouths of sports journalists and fans when he reached the quarterfinals against Nadal at the 2006 French Open.

An unseeded 19-year-old, Djokovic fell behind two sets to love before retiring with a back injury. After the match, Djokovic was quoted, via the Guardian, as saying "I think I had control of the match. I just didn't finish it in the right way when I needed to."

"This comment did not sit well with sportswriters, who tend to think coddled young professional athletes should keep their swagger under wraps at least until they've hefted some serious hardware," wrote Perry.

If Djokovic wants to win over fans, he can start by not upsetting ball kids. People are used to seeing players erupt at chair umpires and linesmen, adults who are paid to do a job. However, ball kids are volunteers, almost always aspiring tennis pros themselves. Losing your cool and driving a ball girl to tears invites fans to cheer against you. 

"

Novak Djokovic - 'I'm definitely going to try to apologise' http://t.co/rL6hOQ8mlN pic.twitter.com/1hG2QS9Qpr

— Live Tennis (@livetennis) July 10, 2015"

A big dose of acceptance might help too. No matter how hard Djokovic tries, there are just some fans he'll never win over, especially when facing a beloved superstar like Federer. 

Djokovic can't let this get under his skin. Federer's serve and backhand are plenty to focus on. Instead, Djokovic needs to concentrate on his game. Applaud Federer's impressive winners. Be courteous to ball kids. Smile often. Even laugh a little, it's relaxes the body. 

If Djokovic can remain calm and cool, the fans will still favor Federer. But they won't jeer Djokovic. That can go a long way in a tight match.