A year after his expulsion from Australia because he was not vaccinated, Novak Djokovic won the Adelaide tournament on Sunday, and perfectly prepared for the first Grand Slam of the season, next Monday in Melbourne.
Often presented as the least popular of the "Big 3" that he formed with Federer and Nadal, the Serb can count on a very large fan base on the island continent.
For some, the enthusiasm aroused by the king of the Australian Open, in search of a 10th title, is even greater than that before the sad episode of January 2022.
Adelaide's center court has sometimes taken on the appearance of a small Marakana - Belgrade's main stadium - over the past week, when Novak Djokovic has come to beat up his opponents one after another.
Until the final this Sunday against the American Sebastian Korda, where the support of an audience of all generations waving Serbian flags and messages of encouragement clearly helped the former (and future?) world number 1 to save a match point.
Then to defeat his American opponent (6-7 [8], 7-6 [3], 6-4) and his nervousness, which had pushed him to get angry with his family clan at the end of the first set.
“The support I have received over the past ten days is something that I have not experienced very often in my life”, he also dropped to a jubilant crowd, after slipping this 92nd ATP title in his heavy bag.
Hoping without admitting it that the magic will work until the final of the Australian Open (January 16-29) in Melbourne, where Djoko will aim for a 10th title, and a 22nd Major, which would allow him to catch up with Rafael Nadal .
The Spaniard had poached last year on the lands of the Serb, “taking advantage” of the expulsion of the latter, not vaccinated against the Covid, at the end of a long sports-political-legal soap opera.
Since then, Canberra's government has changed, and the player's three-year ban has been lifted.
"The welcome is warmer than before because we have two years of love to show him," says Elaine, an Australian member of "Nolefam", an informal structure made up of supporters from all continents.
We want to prove to him that Australia still loves him.
Fans around the world were deeply hurt to see what he went through last year.
"Nolefam" is a real family, and together we suffered with him.
Seeing him come back brings us great joy.
Crowds of people line up for hours to see him, cheer him on, show him love.
»
A very active "Nolefam" on social networks
For the first time, Elaine, originally from Waroona in Western Australia, attended the matches of her favorite in Adelaide, whose sincerity and respect she salutes, like all of Djoko's ultimate fans.
She was able to meet there for real another member of “Nolefam”, very active on social networks: Julie, a French teacher from Deux-Sèvres but who has been living in London for 13 years.
Supporter of the Serb since 2006, the thirty-year-old follows him on the circuit, and takes advantage of a sabbatical leave to encourage him on his Australian journey.
She has forged a strong relationship with the star, whose training she shared during one of her stays in Belgrade, and who publicly greeted her on Friday, after her victory over Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
“Even Novak was surprised, I think.
I've seen him play in many places, and apart from Serbia, I've never heard so many songs as here.
It's almost moving.
I'm thinking of the two Frenchmen he beat at the start of the week [Constant Lestienne then Quentin Halys].
I felt a little sorry for them.
They enter the court, they see flags everywhere…”
Dear @djokernole,
I am super privileged, honoured, blessed & happy to be able to support you all around the world.
Thank you for being the best idol one could wish for & for constantly giving back to your #NoleFam ❤️❤️❤️pic.twitter.com/p2cEV7pxAv
— Julie 🇫🇷🇬🇧 (@NDjokofan) January 6, 2023
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“The public was for him but everything went well, there was no overflow, relativizes Halys.
There was a very good atmosphere.
I even think it was more impressive at the Australian Open [the two men had faced each other in the first round in 2016].
»
On the island-continent, the enthusiasm of Djoko addicts almost systematically transforms a tennis court into a football stadium, with banners or even jerseys of the Serbian football team in the stands.
"Novak has millions of fans around the world and many of them are Australians," said journalist Saša Ozmo, who follows his country's ambassador around the globe for the Sport Klub channel.
The Serbian diaspora is very important in the country and it is very vocal, although not all of its Australian fans are of Serbian origin.
»
New fans since his expulsion from Australia
Elaine, who claims no Slavic ancestry, confirms: “We are a multicultural country, and that is reflected in the profile of Novak's supporters.
People see supporters waving Serbian flags and think we all are, but a lot of us do that to show our support for Novak, let him know that he's the one we're supporting and not his opponent.
»
For the Franco-British Julie, the misadventures experienced by Djokovic last year even attracted him new allies "and not necessarily anti-vaccine people".
"The one I call my 'British mum' is a big fan of Rafa [Nadal], she doesn't like Novak and his tantrums on the court... Well, she told me that after all that happened to her, she respected him a lot more.
He stuck to his principles, when he could have cheated to earn more.
»
Coming back to Australia, however, do not imagine that Djokovic is a god for all the compatriots of Rod Laver and Kylie Minogue.
On December 11, a poll by Resolve Political Monitor, published by the
Sydney Morning Herald
, indicated that for 41% of Australians, the Serb should not be allowed to stay and play in their country, compared to 30% of a opposite opinion and 29% of people indifferent.
A significant figure, but to be compared to the 71% of anti-Djoko identified by the same institute in January 2022, at the heart of the storm.
An old peril?
The Serb has therefore seen his rating significantly improve in the general public, from Darwin to Canberra.
Among tennis fans in Adelaide, the barometer was in good shape, even if Julie wonders if it will be the same in a week in Melbourne, where the teacher will of course push with all the “Nolefam” behind her idol.
“A 30-something Australian told me that all her friends were pretty angry at what the previous government had done.
On the other hand, among those aged 60 and over, there are more people who believe that Novak did not follow the rules.
If it's like Wimbledon or the US Open, with very old people buying tickets, the reception may not be the same.
At the same time, I have friends who come from London and Dubai especially to support Novak, so I don't know.
I can't wait to see his first game.
The Serbian flags have not finished flapping in the Australian sky.
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