Novak Djokovic has faced criticism in the past for his confrontational demeanor, directed not only at his opponents but also at his coaching team. There have been occasions during matches when his coaching staff has borne the brunt of his emotional outbursts.

Recently, French tennis player Jules Marie, who has previously served as Djokovic's hitting partner, made some striking allegations regarding the Serbian tennis star.

‘He was nasty all five times’: Jules Marie on Novak Djokovic

In an interview with the Daily Express, he remarked, “During my time as a sparring partner at Roland Garros, I had five sessions with Djokovic, and he was unpleasant each time.”

“You have to tread carefully when playing with him. If you hit a ball just 1.5 meters away from him, he won’t return it and gives you a look that says, ‘If you do that again, I’ll have you removed.’ On one occasion, I served a ball, and he chose not to play it. He told me, 'It’s my coach who should be serving.' So, his coach served, I returned the ball, and he sent it soaring 50 meters into the air. I have no idea why (...) It was quite unkind.”

Marie also noted a shift in Djokovic’s demeanor when they encountered each other at the subsequent Australian Open, where he no longer regarded him as a training partner. “At the Australian Open, I was no longer just a sparring partner; I was a competitor. This changed the dynamic, and he was aware of my YouTube channel. Additionally, we were being filmed, and there were cameras present, so he couldn’t afford to be unpleasant,” he explained.

Marie has gained significant popularity on YouTube, surpassing his tennis following with 130,000 subscribers. Djokovic will likely hope to disregard Marie's comments and wishes for them to attract minimal attention. The Serbian player is preparing to participate in the 2025 Miami Open following his unexpected first-round exit at Indian Wells.

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