The world is too PC now days to have a real bad boy. Djokovic isn't quite there yet - he sung Tsonga's praises after the AO final. As much as everyone wants a bad boy again I don't think it is likely from any player out there at the moment.

I don't know. Certainly, he can't throw the kinds of tantrums McEnroe could get away with - he'd get ejected, no doubt....but I still think people would enjoy it - it's been a long time coming. For the sake of tennis, I hope it happens sooner than later.

this is a really nice article because it exactly explains why i don't like djokovic and why i admire rafa: one is really a bad boy and the other is a shy,humble champion,respectively.

sisterofnight12
you can believe what you want to believe but Novak is really nice, honest and respect guy. He never say lipsevice that I like him very much and he is brave enough say what many other player can't say like I want to win Gland slam, I want to win Federer or be No. 1 player oneday. That's all players dream and he brave enough say that. That was not arrogant some people said he was arrogant. He just said what he believed. That was brave not arrogant. Novak always say nice thing Federer and Nadal. If you ever attention Novak's coment after the matches you realize how wonderful he is. But I don't care what some people talk about bad thing about Novak because that's not importnt. They just jelous or worry he will beat their favotie player. I love his emotion at the tennis coat. He is the best for me like Mac or Borg.

Djokovic is the best tennis player!!!!!!!! REMEMBER THAT!!!!!!!! THE BEST
I think to it's not ok to talks bad about him!!!!!!!!!!!He is really nice guy really!!!!

let the results speak for the players!

Marat tried to be bad.....where is he now?

Novak aint badboy!!! hes a little girl compared to Nadal
Nadal doesn't chuck little tantrums like Novak, he demonstrates self respect and pride
thats what i call a man!!!

the problem with being bad boy is that it gets in the way of your tennis. Look at Marat, he was a classic bad boy and I love him but his game goes up and down like a yoyo, just like his emotions.

the reason i dislike djokovic is that his attitude takes away from the enjoyment of watching tennis. so called "bad boys" never have turned me on. for me its about the tennis not the tantrums. at roland garros, when playing gulbis and gulbis starting taking it to djokovic, djokovic started complaining about the photographers clicking their cameras. not only do i dislike djokovic, but his father had 2b ushered off when he was making so much noise @ the ivanovic/jenkovic match. federer and nadal are great to watch because they don't throw their rackets on the ground, the don't kvetch every 2 minutes. i thought john mcenroe had a great tennis game but i found it difficult to watch him because of his temper tantrums. i find marat safin a terrific tennis player, but he too is difficult to watch because of his temper tantrums. i think andy murray has a great game, but he too w/his temper tantrums takes away from the enjoyment of the game itself. as for djokovic, i think he has a terrific game, but i feel he is arrogant and one day that arrogance will come back to bite him in the "arse"!!!!

i hope you're right,sherosen.

I love Novak. He is an excellent player with a lot of potential. He is the next Federer of Tennis. Nadal I find him too arrogant. I can stand his antics, especially when he pulls his pants from his ass crack, this is gross, this is not professional. The hair has to go, he is always pulling it behind his ears. I don't consider him a good player. He is the bad boy of tennis. Novak his wonderful on the court, he is fast, he can run, he can play, and he is awsome. Keep playing Novak I love to watch you.

to "Genevieve1950 | 6/16/08 1:52 AM": I don't think you understand what "bad boy" means. It is not commenting Djoke's tennis abilities, which are awesome. It is commenting about his innappropriate comments and actions as a pro tennis player. for example, throwing his racket, whining about things that don't go his way(as mentioned by sherosen 6/13/08 above), making excuses, bowing out of tournements with minor physical complaints ( rather than man-ing up as other top players do), having his family being annoying in the stands, etc. By the way, I would like an example of when Nadal was arrogant. On the pro-side, Djoke does compliment other players -- but many times it turns out to be 'left handed compliments" -- that means, although he compliments them, there is always a "but" attached.

tennisfan2-you're right.besides,have you noticed that whenever novak loses to rafa (the last time being on this sunday),it's always novak's being unlucky,not rafa's good play.he always says "i was unlucky,next time i will beat him" but that next time never comes.

tennisfan2 you are so right Djoke's compliments always end with "but",aand sisterofnight12 dont worry because he will always be unluky until he learns to appreciate rafa's good play and you know everytime Djoke says he is going to beat rafa,rafa always shows him that he is the boss

Novak is already a Star!He is a good boy with big heart!His familly just support him just like we all do it from his contry!Sun he will be no.1,remember my words.Go Nole we love you all!

Novak sucks. Federer and Nadal are way better. He is deffiently the bad boy of tennis, and when I say bad boy I mean he is horrible. He calls the trainer what seems like every match, wich seems like he is trying to psych his appoidents out to make up for his lack of talent. The Australian Open was a fluke, Fed had mono, but that will be his last Major.

I don't think it's fair to call Novak's AO as a fluke. It's not like he hasn't worked hard and consistently stayed at the top, kept his drive and had a good grand slam record last couple of years. So Fed losing FO was also fluke due to mono? That's the nature of sports. Lots of hard work and some luck will see success but to call a grand slam win a fluke is really hitting below the belt. I'm not Novak's biggest fan and I think he has attitude issues but let's give credit where it's due! You could say the same about T. Johansson's AO win or Hewitt's W win but that wouldn't be intelligent or fair observation because you could find fault with just about everyone's win if you don't like them.

Well, finally a discussion about the Djokers (and his parents) lack of professionalism. He beats Fed in Toronto 2007, the following Tues nite he's at the bar in Cincy drinking beer til past 1am (when I left the bar stool next to him and subsequently tanked his 1st round match the next afternoon-Federer won the tournament. He beats Fed at the AO SF, deriding him as "vulnerable" #1, etc. and his mother making predictions of "the king is dead". (Roger is subsequently diagnosed w/ Mono which by the way stays in your system depleting your energy for 6 months or more: French Open?????). Anyway, back to Novak... During the final vs Tsonga, he and his parents carry on an absurd, contentious argument with French fans in the stadium, provoking officials to intervene. It was not a pretty thing to watch for fans or for Tsonga. Fast forward to Miami: Having won Indian Wells, Novak tanks another early round match with rumors that he was out partying on South Beach until the wee hrs.& having witnessed him in Cincy after a similar Master Series win, I have no doubt. Now we're at Monte Carlo SF: Novak vs Federe.r His mother is deriding Fed's line judgement abilities and then the sore throat default. I don't know about you but despite his charm and wonderful tennis abillities, I was getting quite over Novak's sophmorish antics at this point. He made it to the FO semis and has been trash talking Nadal and Federer ever since. And then he flamed out last week........... Can you imagine?