Djokovic Pays it Forward to Nieminen as the Finn Says Farewell to Wimbledon

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Djokovic Pays it Forward to Nieminen as the Finn Says Farewell to Wimbledon

Novak Djokovic led the Centre Court applause for former Wimbledon quarterfinalist Jarkko Nieminen on Day 3, helping ensure that the Finn received the same kind of heartfelt farewell that Djokovic received after falling in the Roland Garros final to Stan Wawrinka in early June.

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Nieminen, 33, was playing in his last Wimbledon. His 12th appearance at the Championships has been eventful, as he ended the Wimbledon career of Lleyton Hewitt in a thrilling five-set encounter on Day 1. On that day he embraced the gritty Aussie and let the fans embrace the former champion after defeating him.

On Day 3 he got his due, thanks in part to a compassionate Djokovic.

Djokovic doesn’t celebrate his victory after match point. He heads straight to the net to congratulate Nieminen on a job—and Wimbledon career—well done.

In a sport that keeps tabs of wins, losses, winners, unforced errors, aces and double-faults, there are many days when we end up remembering the handshakes more than any statistics, even the most telling ones.

Wednesday ended up being one of those days.

“It’s his last Wimbledon and I have had a very nice relationship with Jarkko for many years,” said Djokovic. “When I was coming into tennis as an 18-year-old I was playing some Challengers in Helsinki, in Finland, and that’s where I met him for the first time. Ever since then he was very kind to me and he’s one of the nicest guys that I know on the tour off the court and on the court as well.”

He added: “In the present moment maybe you are not aware how important it is. It’s a milestone for him, it’s his last match at Wimbledon and I’m sure he wanted to enjoy it a little bit so he deserved the ovation.”

A fierce competitor on the court and a warm, compassionate individual off, Djokovic has gained a reputation for his sportsmanship in recent years. He was rewarded for it last month at Paris, when the crowd showered him with applause as he accepted his runner-up trophy.

“I thought it was one of the most beautiful moments that I’ve experienced in my tennis career,” he said of the incident. “It wasn’t to be [at the French Open], I lost to a better player, and I had to accept that and move on. But I thought what I had experienced with Stan that day, the amount of respect we showed to each other and the way the post-match ceremony has happened and the way that both he and I received the ovation, it was really something very special—very unique and I’ll remember it for a long time.

Even though I have lost the match that was a big win for me. It was something that was far more important than trophies, winning or losing the matches. The appreciation from the people that’s something that is really dear to my heart. It’s a responsibility as well, to keep on moving forward and keep on having the same kind of approach to the matches and my colleagues.”

Djokovic will move on to face Bernard Tomic in the third round at Wimbledon. Nieminen, meanwhile, will move on, with the lasting memory of a well-deserved ovation from the Centre Court faithful in his heart and mind.

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