Jelena Djokovic Voices Opinion on Australian Open Controversy
The 2026 Australian Open continues to deliver high drama both on and off the court, with Novak Djokovic's wife, Jelena, becoming the latest figure to weigh in on a contentious incident involving former champion Naomi Osaka. As the tournament progresses into its second week, Melbourne Park has witnessed a series of compelling stories, from player confrontations to fan behaviour and weather-related adjustments.
Osaka-Cirstea Clash Draws Scrutiny
The controversy stems from Naomi Osaka's second-round victory over Romania's Sorana Cirstea, which featured a tense post-match exchange. During the third set, Osaka repeatedly shouted "come on" between Cirstea's first and second serves, a practice the Romanian found disruptive. Cirstea confronted Osaka at the net, prompting the two-time former champion to deliver a pointed response in her on-court interview, where she remarked, "I think this is her last Australian Open so, okay, sorry she's mad about it." Osaka later apologised for being "disrespectful" but defended her motivational shouts.
Jelena Djokovic has now entered the debate, questioning whether Osaka's actions constituted a hindrance under tennis rules. Commenting on social media, she wrote, "Hmm, I’m surprised that this is not being called hindrance. In between 2 serves, when crowds are applauding or shouting, the chair ump asks not to shout between serves as it is disturbing to the player." She further expressed surprise that the chair umpire and Osaka considered the behaviour fair, asking if rule changes had been overlooked.
Putintseva Faces Hostile Crowd
Elsewhere at Melbourne Park, Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva experienced relentless jeering from Turkish supporters after defeating qualifier Zeynep Sonmez in a hard-fought three-set match. The world No. 94 secured a 6-3 6-7(3) 6-3 victory, but her celebration—cupping her hand to her ear—antagonised the passionate crowd, leading to boos throughout her on-court interview. Putintseva, however, embraced the hostile atmosphere, stating, "Honestly, there was a really crazy atmosphere here... I love this kind of battle."
Gauff Calls for Respect
American star Coco Gauff also addressed crowd behaviour during her third-round win over Hailey Baptiste. In an on-court interview, Gauff called out a fan for heckling her opponent, emphasising the need for respect. She said, "Hailey's a great competitor, so to the guy who made that comment. We're all doing our best out here... let's be respectful. We're all trying our best." Her comments were met with applause from the Margaret Court Arena audience.
Heat Forces Schedule Change
With temperatures forecast to reach around 37 degrees Celsius on Saturday, Australian Open organisers have adjusted the day seven schedule with less than 24 hours' notice. Matches will now start earlier to avoid the peak afternoon heat, with main draw singles and doubles fixtures beginning at 10:30am local time instead of the usual 11:30am. This affects high-profile clashes such as Madison Keys versus Karolina Pliskova on Rod Laver Arena. The tournament issued a statement advising ticket holders to take precautions against the extreme conditions.
Tournament Progress Highlights
As the first week concludes, top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka have advanced to the fourth round, with defending champions Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic set to play their third-round matches on Saturday. Djokovic faces Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the night session, while Sinner meets America's Eliot Spizzirri during the day. Other notable players in action include Iga Swiatek and defending women's champion Madison Keys, ensuring the Australian Open remains a focal point of global sports attention.
