Novak Djokovic is once again at the center of controversy after never-before-seen footage of an explosive on-court meltdown surfaced online—sending fans and critics into a frenzy.
The video, leaked late Tuesday night and now spreading like wildfire across social media, shows the 24-time Grand Slam champion in a previously untelevised match from 2022. In the clip, Djokovic is seen smashing his racquet, screaming at the chair umpire, and exchanging heated words with a cameraman after a disputed line call.
“You don’t respect me! You never have!” Djokovic is heard shouting, before storming to his bench and ripping off his wristbands in frustration.
The footage, which had apparently been buried due to the match being played during a rain delay and without a full broadcast team, was uploaded anonymously to Reddit before going viral on X (formerly Twitter), where the hashtag #DjokovicMeltdown quickly trended worldwide.
Fans are split on the incident.
“This just shows how intense and passionate he is—he wants to win,” said one supporter.
But others were less forgiving.
“If this were Kyrgios or Zverev, they’d be banned. Novak always gets a pass,” one critic posted.
Former players weighed in too.
“We’ve all had our moments,” said Andy Roddick on a tennis panel. “But Novak’s got to know by now that the cameras are always rolling.”
The ATP has not commented on the leak, but sources say an internal review may be underway, given the public reaction and renewed scrutiny of Djokovic’s past behavior on court—including his infamous US Open 2020 disqualification for hitting a line judge with a ball.
Djokovic himself has not publicly addressed the video, but fans are watching closely as he prepares for the French Open—now under a much more intense spotlight.
