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Novak Djokovic was involved in another dispute after his vanquished opponent accused him of exaggerating physical problems during their French Open quarter final.
The world No 1 initially laboured against Pablo Carreno-Busta, complaining of stiffness in his neck and upper left arm, before storming back to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. Afterwards the Spaniard, who was Djokovic’s opponent during his default at the US Open from hitting a line judge, suggested that it was more a mental matter because he was feeling the pressure.
“That’s normal, no? He make always,” said Carreno-Busta. ‘Probably the last years he’s always doing this when he has problems on court.
“I don’t know, maybe it’s the pressure or something that he needs to do it. But, I mean, he continues playing normal, no? I don’t know if he’s pain really or he has mental. Ask him.”
It remains to be seen whether this pain in the neck causes much impediment when he takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas in Friday’s semi-final, which theoretically precedes a showdown with Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic had told Serbian media that his neck needed to be worked on for two hours before the match, and that it had been in the balance whether he played or not.
“I had neck and shoulder issues,” he said prior to that. “I’m still in the tournament, I don’t want to reveal too much. I’m feeling okay, the pain faded and allowed me to get comfortable and play the way I should.”
The issue appeared to affect his ball toss on serve and general movement in the first set, and a courtside microphone caught him telling the summoned physio: “It feels better now but I promise that ten seconds after I start playing it won’t.” – Mail
Online Reporter