Novak Djokovic Shows Up In Umag For Men’s Final, Watches Thiem Win Second Title [Video]

looks like a gorgeous setting, with the water in the background.

July 26th, 2015 at 6:31 pm

dominic’s hair, though – ha! it’s kinda cool.

July 26th, 2015 at 6:37 pm

Whole Adriatic coast is beautiful, but that part is absolutely stunning, locals are very friendly, hospitable, and food and wine top notch, it was always my (and lot of my friends from Belgrade) favorite place to holiday, Umag, Poreč, Rovinj, Pula and most of the locals speak Italian (plus English) as their second language, since it was part of Italy until 50 years ago and lot of Italians use to live on Istra peninsula.

July 26th, 2015 at 6:50 pm

very cool info wog boy; no wonder nole seems so at home and is so well received in italy.

July 26th, 2015 at 7:19 pm

Appears fairly impromptu, something he felt like doing in some open time on his vacation itinerary. A well appreciated appearance by Nole.
Thiem, the organizers, and fans got a little extra at the Final.

July 26th, 2015 at 7:47 pm

I was watching Taxi Driver for the first time last week and could not help noticing the resemblance between the young De Niro and Novak. Novak fans, do you share my sentiment?

http://designspiration.net/image/120880836275/

July 26th, 2015 at 7:51 pm

I agree, but I am split between Nole’s father Srdjan and Nole when it comes to Robert De Niro, who I like very much.

Since this is Nole’s thread this is the reason why I keep saying that Nole succeeded aganist all odds and why I admire Srdjan and Diana though Srdjan sometimes can be pain in the neck:)

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/novak-djokovic-loan-shark-2013-7

July 26th, 2015 at 8:10 pm

yes ertorque; i posted that on these boards years ago, back in 2007 when de niro and his wife were sitting in novak’s box at the us open for the final. sharapova was there too.

http://www.ontennis.com/sites/default/files/images/maria-sharapova-us-open.jpg

July 26th, 2015 at 8:45 pm

jane,
Check the person next to Sharapova (Nole’s uncle) and check De Niro on the same picture, like brothers.

BTW, Sharapova couldn’t resist to check the place where she finaly lost Nole year ago and spend some time there alone few weeks ago when Grigor announced split, what a coincidence:)

July 26th, 2015 at 9:06 pm

Wog Boy – To my mind, Novak is somewhat overdue in acknowledging he owes his Dad as much as he owes Jelena Gencic, for his career. Possibly more.
Srdjan Djokovic totally believed in his son, bet “the ranch” on him.
De Niro? Many of his roles fit Djokovic’s Dad. Tough guy. Get bounced halfway down a mountain on a fall skiing for Team Yugoslavia, get back up with contusions everywhere for the next event heat, ski that.

July 26th, 2015 at 9:13 pm

Robert De Niro, I believe, is a Nole supporter. When Novak was asked which actor would he chose to play him if a film of his life was made, he answered “Robert De Niro” without hesitation. He is too old, though. :D

I thought it was lovely of Novak to show up to the Umag final. Thiem liked it and I’m sure the organisers were delighted.

Nole is looking good and refreshed…I can’t wait to see him on court.

July 26th, 2015 at 9:20 pm

CF1,
The hardest thing for us, I am free to say not just Serbia but Balkans, is father son relationship, as much as we love each other and would do anything for each other, it is just hard to say that loudly to each other and show that kind of emotions , I don’t know if it is man thing or what but I wish I told that to my father before he was gone, how much he meant to me.

July 26th, 2015 at 9:27 pm

Novak is so handsome in this video….liking his longer hair…… :)

July 27th, 2015 at 12:15 am

I do think Novaks a handsome guy,and i do see the De Niro likeness,im a big fan of many of his films,although i dont know what to think of him personally,hes an amazing actor,but i once read that he had said im glad i became an actor otherwise i wouldve been a serial killer,hmm i dont know if he was kidding,but that comment was in bad taste IMO….

July 27th, 2015 at 1:42 am

We dont have a certain Mr Taxi Driver posting anymore Travis Bickle….

July 27th, 2015 at 1:53 am

He does favor DeNiro! Had never noticed that before. GG, I never have heard the serial killer remark before. I do like him as an actor. He’s awesome!!

July 27th, 2015 at 1:59 am

Travis hasn’t been here for awhile now. He is probably full time at the “Blue Lagoon”…..Lol

I didn’t mean to insinuate that Novak was never a good looking guy, I’m just saying he looked unusually handsome in this video!

July 27th, 2015 at 2:08 am

Okie good riddance too,him and that forum are made especially for each other,strange that some posters here found that sort of thing funny,each to their own i suppose,lol i know what you meant with Novak,some people have better days than others picture wise,where as Mr you know who never actually has a bad picture day(sigh)lol,just thought id get that one in(AHEM),off to work Okie speak later….

July 27th, 2015 at 2:15 am

I haven’t missed him one bit. Have a great day at work……and I won’t mention that other guy…ahem, not the right thread. LOL Yes, later.

July 27th, 2015 at 8:25 am

Okie lol i didnt actually mean our favorite tennis player,im talking about a certain Australian actor from film Australia(swoon),the sexiest man on planet earth,simply breath taking(sigh)….

July 27th, 2015 at 10:20 am

BTW, that is quite a Presidential rack!
Djokovic was having a great time there, but you know in the back of his mind he was thinking “Maintain eye contact. Do not look down! Do not look down! Straight at the camera…not even a peek because all these darn people everywhere doing pics and vids on their phones.”
Nole was not the only natural wonder of the world with President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic there.

July 27th, 2015 at 3:52 pm

@GG I read something into that comment you didn’t mean! I should have known you meant Mr.Jackman. I lost my head for a moment!! Lol

July 27th, 2015 at 4:24 pm

I wonder if they invited him and gave him an appearance fee since he was in the neighborhood.

July 27th, 2015 at 8:11 pm

Jeez this appearance fee stuff that people spout is nonscense,one or two posters some months back when Novak missed Madrid claimed that the organisers would probably pay him an under the table fee to p*ss both Roger and Rafa off?eh WTF,certainly wouldnt say much about the credibility of the tournament or player in question if they did,and anyway Roger and Rafa are still the biggest draws in tennis regardless of the ranking….

July 28th, 2015 at 4:46 am

gypsy, rafa and roger get even bigger appearance fees. why so sour?

July 28th, 2015 at 11:34 am

Speaking of appearance fees – I think they should consider banning appearance fees again – sometimes they are larger than the winner’s check, and the biggest fees go to the players who need it the least. If you earn your prize money over and over again, more power to you, but there’s something about appearance fees that I don’t like. Some of these mid-level players are getting them, and in my opinion they are not helpful to the lower ranked players who spend half their year toiling in anonymity at futures and challengers. Then they get to the show and the prize money is for the birds because it goes to some guy ranked 15 who happens to be the #1 seed that week.

There’s been a lot of talk about the majors increasing prize money, but it would do everyone a hell of a lot of good if they banned appearance fees for the 500s and below and put that money back in the draw.

By the way, Steffi Graf’s father, Peter Graf, eventually went to jail on tax evasion charges, but the investigation was initiated by a suit brought by Ion Tiriac for the return of an appearance fee where she pulled out before the tournament before playing. When Tiriac won his case, the German tax authorities noticed that the fee had been paid in cash and Graf hadn’t claimed any of it.

Guillermo Vilas was banned from tennis for a year in 1983 for taking a (then) illegal under the table fee at Rotterdam. All the pros were doing it at the time, but for some reason only Vilas was banned. Eventually the ban was overturned as a result of players reportedly planning a rival, player owned/operated tour outside the Grand Prix circuit – a precursor to the ATP tour. So when the players threatened to take ALL their money and run, the tour caved and eventually appearance fees were openly allowed.

July 28th, 2015 at 12:50 pm

mmt “sometimes they are larger than the winner’s check, and the biggest fees go to the players who need it the least”

it strikes me as being rather like tax breaks for the upper class while the middle and lower classes toil away “in anonymity”. sigh…

July 28th, 2015 at 1:24 pm

John Feinstein goes into great detail about the perils of guarantees in “Hard Courts” his book about his year on the ATP tour in 1990. It’s just a bad business model when players can take money to show up, play like dogs and leave. Meanwhile ticket prices for tennis matches are still very high (too high, i think) and that’s because guarantees allow them to gin up demand for players who might bring in more fans and sponsors, but there’s no guarantee you’re going to see them unless they’re exceptionally competitive and consistent. What you’re left with is some guy who may have been in the top 10 5 years ago, or has been in the top 20 for 10 years, but never better.

Not value for money, if you ask me. If they had to win to get paid exceptionally well I think you’d see fewer big players at the smaller tournaments, but the quality of the tennis, and their commitment to it, would be better.

July 28th, 2015 at 2:27 pm

MMT – The revenue streams favor the “Stars”. Appearance fees are no different than endorsement fees – rooted in marketing drawing power a player or team member has..
And fairer than endorsement fees because organizers want their event to be more than Rafa and 15 dwarfs ranked 30th or lower…so more players down the ranks get something from appearance fees than get Moet&Chandon money.

July 28th, 2015 at 2:32 pm

Love seeing any reference to Hard Courts. What a great book.

July 28th, 2015 at 2:34 pm

Jane the appearance fee i dont have an issue with, the reference i was making,was the under the table fee that people spout,when a player doesnt even play,the Taxi Driver logic,we heard some months back,its what i thought Django was getting at,unless i got hold of the wrong end of the stick?….

July 28th, 2015 at 5:22 pm

your previous post said “appearance fee” specifically, gypsy. django also used the words “appearance fee” specifically. so i don’t know about this secret fee you’re referring to. is it some past incident that’s being brought up again? no one mentioned anything like that with regard to novak and umag anyhow. personally, i suspect he just went to watch some tennis, and maybe to scope out thiem, a new player who has serious potential. borna coric and novak are on friendly terms too and coric was there. he even tweeted afterward saying it was “nice to see” novak at the umag final. anyhow, enough said really. i feel neither here nor there about appearance fees, although i agree with MMT that they tend to go to the players who need them least of all so perhaps it’d be best to banish them altogether.

July 28th, 2015 at 5:49 pm

Jane i apologize as i got my wires crossed,that comment came up some months back when Novak missed Madrid,at the time it hit a nerve is all,i have nothing against Novak and i left you some posts on the Delpo thread saying my feelings,i just get annoyed with some of the conspiracy theories some people come up with at times….

July 28th, 2015 at 6:08 pm

I am pretty sure django was pulling your legs:)

July 28th, 2015 at 6:38 pm

Wogboy yeah its all good :)….

July 28th, 2015 at 6:44 pm

Good old “Django” (different one), nothing as good as “Spaghetti westerns”, loved them, original much better than remake “”Django”:

http://youtu.be/YNZpZWZ1ANM

July 28th, 2015 at 6:51 pm

Wogboy i do actually love that monikor,and i love those type of films,loved Clint Eastwood in Fist Full Of Dollars,A Few Dollars More,and The Good The Bad and The Ugly,havent actually seen Django Unchained,although i do enjoy Quentin Tarantinos films….

July 28th, 2015 at 6:59 pm

GG,

Sergio Leone was The King of Spaghetti Westerns, his movies established Clint Eastwood as a star, lived and died in Rome.

July 28th, 2015 at 7:14 pm

gypsy gal, no need for apologies. just clarifying is all. (p.s. oops i’ve been leaving the “gal” off)

July 28th, 2015 at 8:33 pm

“borna coric and novak are on friendly terms too”

Djokovic has an interesting trait in who he hits with, and how he treats them. Doesn’t seem to believe in the “me superstar, you 60th ranked” pecking order. So he has good relationships with Vets like Stepanek and Paes and hits with them, peers like Stan, reaches out to some juniors to practice with, encourage, even offer tips to them and their coach. Follows the progress of a couple Monte Carlo ballboys, hits with them, has them bring trophies for wins, rup, 3rd, 4th place ribbons, and show them to Nole.

The most interesting “tennis pairing” is how Djokovic treats certain up n’ comers. Friendly on and off the court, treats them as equals, even asks their advice on what he could be doing better or something outside tennis he might be interested in. And helps them work on flaws they have. So there is a generation of likely stars to be, that have intersected with Djokovic, like him as a person, and feel he has improved their pro prospects. Their coaches know Nole is not out to mess their young charges up, and are happy they are getting benefit from Nole. Milos Raonic has Nole work on Raonic’s liabilities – backhand and movement in regular practice they do. Nole gets a power player to keep his returns honed in. Milos swings by Noles place from time to time for dinner he sometimes brings, and discussion after.

Sports is a continuum of generations. So are fans. If a player is fortunate, they can make an impact on the new generation and mentor them, while showing great liking and respect for departed vets or still kicking around older players.
Nole seems to get that. So does Federer.

July 28th, 2015 at 9:39 pm

I like Django Reinhardt (a gypsy jazz guy) but not too crazy about Django Unchained.

Regarding appearance fees-just wondered if Novak got a fee for appearing at this event. Posing with the prez and all that can’t hurt her image and publicity for Umag is priceless. It’s strange to me that he would just be hanging around the neighborhood and decided to pop in. The impromptu security issue would be hellish for him, no?

July 28th, 2015 at 9:44 pm

Djokovic is the greatest poser of all time.
everything he does is fake. His eagerness to be loved by the masses is getting ridiculous and annoying.
Wow what a great shot! Cant believe you made that ball. Youre only trailing 1 break of serve now. Well done.

July 29th, 2015 at 1:57 am

Wogboy,Clint Eastwood was a hot guy when he was younger,Mr Jackman reminds me of him now,i also loved his comedy films Every Which Way But Loose,and Any Which Way You Can,Play Misty For Me was an amazing pychological thriller a Clint as DJ been stalked by the gorgeous but crazy Jessica Walter,Fatal Attraction was in the same vein….

July 29th, 2015 at 4:05 am

Jane lol no problems….

July 29th, 2015 at 5:54 am

One last ironic tie-in to the two appearance feel stories I told: Tiriac sued Peter Graf for keeping Steffi’s appearance fee without playing. Guess who was Vilas’ manager when he was banned for taking money under the table?

One Ion Tiriac.

July 29th, 2015 at 1:08 pm

Yup, the old Swiss would probably retire tomorrow if it weren’t for his over-inflated ego and those appearance fees. Not to be mean or anything, but that’s just how it is…

July 31st, 2015 at 7:12 am