Crisis Comms Lessons From a Tennis Tantrum

Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 ranked men’s singles tennis player, threw a hissy at the U.S. Open on Sunday and bashed a ball that hit a line judge in the throat. Djokovic was ejected from the tournament, was fined and suffered a blow to his reputation. The incident provides crisis communications lessons even for those of us outside the world of tennis.

Lesson #1: Have some money in the reputation bank

Djokovic’s reputation precedes him. He’s been involved in some iffy situations. Yet, a positive public profile is essential to protect against damage when you inflict yourself with a crisis.

Just last month, Djokovic (pictured) formed a breakaway players association criticized for promoting division. He organized a tour that was lambasted for a lack of social distancing; several players and others tested positive for COVID-19. He also publicly opposed vaccination.

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