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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Barney Ronay

Give us our GOAT back: tribalism remains a bar to appreciating Djokovic’s greatness

Novak Djokovic illustration
‘Endless barking tribalism has clung to Novak Djokovic over the last four years.’ Illustration: Matthew Green/The Guardian

Who knows, maybe one day Novak Djokovic and the people of Australia will stop mid-argument, bottom lips quivering, and just kiss it all out, right there in front of the cameras, while in the background the studio audience gasps and whoops and we cut tantalisingly to the break with a jaunty bass solo.

Perhaps not yet though. Judging by the scattered boos and jeers from the crowd as news filtered through that Djokovic was retiring with injury after the first set of his Australian Open semi-final on Friday, it seems there is still some way to go in that narrative arc.

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