After defeating 15th-seeded Holger Rune 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in just over two hours, Djokovic used his on-court interview to address what he perceived as disrespectful behavior from some fans. He thanked supportive spectators but then pointedly addressed those he felt were booing him, saying, "To all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player — in this case, me — have a goooood night."
The controversy stemmed from chants of "Ruuuuuune!" by Rune's supporters, which Djokovic interpreted as boos directed at him. Despite attempts by the interviewer to suggest otherwise, Djokovic insisted, "They were. They were. They were. I don't accept it."
In his post-match press conference, Djokovic acknowledged that while fans have the right to cheer as they choose, he focuses on "the respectful people, that have respect, that paid for a ticket to watch tonight — and love tennis."
Djokovic also said “I played in much more hostile environments, trust me ... You guys can’t touch me.”
Rune, for his part, downplayed the incident, stating, "If you don't know what was happening, probably it sounded like 'boo,'" and praised the crowd's support for both players.
Djokovic's victory marks his 15th Wimbledon quarterfinal appearance. The seven-time Wimbledon champion will continue his pursuit of another title, albeit with a potentially strained relationship with some spectators.
* AP contributed to this article.