ATP World Tour Finals

Djokovic sorry for losing cool with O2 crowd

Nick Atkin at the O2 Arena

November 15, 2014

Novak Djokovic was frustrated after the the crowd cheered when he double faulted to hand Kei Nishikori a break © Getty Images

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Novak Djokovic says he "should know better" after losing his cool with the O2 Arena crowd during his semi-final victory against Kei Nishikori.

Djokovic sarcastically applauded the crowd after they cheered when he double faulted to hand Nishikori a crucial break in the second set.

it was only the third match at these Word Tour Finals to reach a third set, with the crowd eager to see a decider. Djokovic eventually won 6-1 3-6 6-0, but the world No.1 revealed he had been frustrated by some of the fans in attendance.

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When it was suggested in his press conference that he had reacted badly to the cheers and that he looked nervous in the match, Djokovic said: "Why did I react bad? In what way? So I'm not allowed to be nervous on the court?"

He added: "Look, the end of the day, I cannot blame the crowd. The crowd has a right to do what they want, to cheer for whoever they want.

"Some individuals that were going over the line throughout the whole match, some provocations that I usually don't react on, but I did. It was my fault.

"I lost the concentration. I lost the break because of that. I allowed myself to be in the situation to lose the set, maybe even lose the match. It was my fault and I should know better.

"I just was not happy with the way that has influenced me and my game after that. I should have let it go. But, when you tolerate once, twice, three times, four times, we're all humans, you react.

"I'm just glad that I overcame that. It's a lesson. Hopefully tomorrow it will not happen."

Following his victory against Nishikori, Djokovic signed a television camera lens with a small dot instead of his usual signature, but refused to explain its significance.

Um... Novak? #Djokovic draws a dot... or a bellybutton on signaturecam. #FinalShowdown #tennis pic.twitter.com/xUrmkTQT0R
— TennisTV (@TennisTV) November 15, 2014

"I felt like that was something I wanted to do today. My new signature," he said with a smile.

Asked why he was so reluctant to share what it meant and whether it was a message, a terse Djokovic added: "Because I don't feel like. There was nothing. It's just a dot."

Dojokovic also admitted he feels "exhausted" heading into Sunday's final, where he will play Roger Federer, after a gruelling season that has seen him secure the year-end No.1 spot for the third time in four years.

"I've had these particular situations before in my career. I know what I need to do in order to recover, in order to get myself in the right shape," Djokovic added.

"Of course at this stage of the season, of the tournament, mentally, the truth is that I'm exhausted. As most of the players would say, it's been a long year. It's been a year of many beautiful events in my life.

"But knowing just that tomorrow is the last match of the season, I'm sure that I will find any necessary drop of strength, mental and physical, to give it on the court."