"If people react in a way I don't deserve, I'll react back" - Novak Djokovic addresses controversial exchange with crowd at Monte-Carlo Masters

Novak Djokovic has justified his decision to imitate an orchestra conductor during his third-round win over Lorenzo Musetti at the ongoing Monte-Carlo Masters.

Djokovic was not pleased by a line call that went in favor of Musetti during the first set. At the time, Musetti was a break up and leading the Serb 4-3. The crowd did not take kindly to Djokovic's argument with the chair umpire, and started booing him.

In retaliation, Djokovic imitated an orchestra conductor as the crowd's boos rang louder. Following the controversial incident, Djokovic seemed to find an extra gear as he broke Musetti back and went on to win the first set 7-5. The Serb went on to seal his place in the fourth round of the prestigious ATP Masters 1000 event following a straightforward 6-3 victory in the second set.

During the post-match press conference, Djokovic was asked how he was able to turn the crowd's negative energy into a positive. The 24-time Grand Slam winner said that while he wasn't looking to irk the crowd, he would react if he felt that the crowd's jeers were unjustified.

"I try to transform the energy into something that is constructive for me. I'm not looking for trouble with crowd. You know, I'm not there coming out, Okay, start whistling at me and I'll play better," Djokovic said.

"It's not the kind of mentality I have. But if people start to react in a certain way that I don't think I deserve, you know, I don't think it's fair, if I don't think it's anyhow explainablw, then, you know, I'll react back," he added.

The two-time Monte-Carlo Masters champion also explained how his upbringing contributed to him standing his ground whenever he felt wronged.

"You know, I have grown up with that kind of mentality that if somebody is doing something wrong to you, you stand your ground," Djokovic added.

Novak Djokovic produced a similar interaction with the crowd during the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals

Novak Djokovic at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals

Djokovic faced Jannik Sinner on two occasions at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals. While the Serb ultimately defeated the Italian in the final to clinch a record seventh ATP Finals title, the pair's meeting in the Round Robin phase went in Sinner's favor.

It was the Italian's first ever win against Djokovic. During the match, the Serb courted controversy when he taunted the crowd in Turin with a similar orchestra conductor gesture.

The Turin crowd was firmly backing Sinner and booed Djokovic during a changeover. However, instead of getting agitated, the Serb sat in his chair and waved his arms with a smile on his face. He went on to lose that match 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-7(2) but went on to beat Sinner 6-3, 6-3 in the final to win his seventh title at the ATP Finals.

Following his win over Lorenzo Musetti, Djokovic is next set to face Alex de Minaur next in the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters. The winner of the match will face either eighth seed Casper Ruud or 14th seed Ugo Humbert in the semifinals.