NOVAK DJOKOVIC HECKLERS SHOULD BE 'KICKED OUT' AS TIM HENMAN SLAMS AUS OPEN CROWD

Tim Henman called on the Australian Open to kick hecklers out of the stands when some spectators were heard shouting out during Novak Djokovic's final against Stefanos Tsitsipas. The umpire was forced to remind the crowd to be quiet twice during the second set tiebreak but Henman thought the tournament should have gone a step further.

Djokovic has continuously dealt with hecklers during his matches at the Australian Open, with a group of fans dressed as Where's Wally kicked out of his second-round tie against Enzo Couacaud. Spectators shouting out during his service games have become something of a constant in Melbourne this fortnight, and it happened again during a tense second set tiebreak in the final against Tsitsipas.

The umpire was forced to remind the crowd to be courteous after someone continued to chant during a rally at 4-3 in the breaker, but Henman thought more action needed to be taken. "Ladies and gentleman, please once again I know it's very exciting but please be quiet during the rally, thank you," Louise Azemar Engzell asked the Rod Laver Arena crowd.

But the retired former world No 4 wanted more, saying: "The request has been made by the umpire but I think they've got to go further, if people are repeatedly calling out trying to distract the players they've got to be thrown out."

JUST IN: Australian Open boss sends Wimbledon clear message over Russia ban

And a couple of points later, another spectator called out while Djokovic was getting ready to serve, prompting the chair official to issue a more stern reminder. "It's very disturbing for both players so please be quiet, thank you," she added.

Henman's co-commentator Chris Bradnam also thought it wasn't enough as he responded: "It's fallen on deaf ears too much in this tournament." Djokovic was then able to take the second set in a tiebreak that saw seven of the first nine points go against serve, sitting down with a 6-3 7-6(4) lead.

DON'T MISS

Rybakina's coach slammed after Kazakh suffers Aus Open final heartache

Link

Australian Open go against tradition with Aryna Sabalenka trophy

Link

Sabalenka's blunt response to Belarus trophy snub after Aus Open win

Djokovic has previously called out hecklers in the crowd, as he claimed the spectators eventually removed from his second round match were "drunk". The fourth seed had initially seen the funny side in set number three when one heckler called out before another fan responded telling them to "shut up" as the Serb said: "Thank you, finally."

But in the fourth and final set he grew tired of the interruptions and approached umpire Fergus Murphy and ranted: "The guy is drunk out of his mind, from the first point he's been provoking me. He's not here to watch tennis, he just wants to get in my head," before the group were kicked out during the next changeover.

2023-01-29T10:46:59Z dg43tfdfdgfd