Serena Williams did not expect her SW19 return to fall apart in the opening round itself. Maya Joint ended her singles campaign at Wimbledon with a hard-fought 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 win, ending the American’s run early. While that defeat quickly sparked criticism around the 23-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic stepped forward and offered a strong defense.

“People need to cool off a little bit with the judgment and the criticism and everything,” Novak Djokovic added in his post-match press conference yesterday after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas. “Let’s just enjoy the greatness and who she is and what she represents to the sport. Her wanting to give it a try and just come back, it’s an incredible gift for our sport.”

“I don’t know why they don’t appreciate that enough. They just start to speculate, judge, or whatever. Hey guys, enjoy. You have the greatest ever coming to play for you, to bring more attention to your sport,” he added.

The Serbian icon’s comments came after a difficult outing for the former WTA No. 1, who had looked set to build some momentum after taking the second set in a tie-break in the opening round.

But despite that brief fightback, the result still ended in a loss. The 23-time Grand Slam champion never would have wanted it after forcing the match into the third set. The aftermath of the loss only made things worse. She was criticized not just for her level on court, but also for skipping the usual post-match press conference.

However, it was later revealed that the 44-year-old had canceled her media duties because of a knee injury she suffered during the match.

Instead of appearing in person in front of the press, she only shared a short statement: “It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here. The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything,” the statement read.

And while the Serbian, who‌ reached the third round of SW19 yesterday, has now come out strongly in support of Serena, he is not alone. Even former tennis players have backed the mother of two daughters over what many saw as a strange media absence after the loss.

Andy Roddick on Serena Williams breaking the Grand Slam rule

The Grand Slam rulebook for this year is clear on post-match media duties. The All-England Club follows the same rule, just like the other three majors. “Both winning and losing players or teams will be required to attend post-match media opportunities following the conclusion of each match,” the rule states.

The All-England Club can fine any player up to $50,000 for breaking that rule. That made the American icon’s absence after her loss a talking point very quickly. Still, the SW19 did not see it as a punishable issue, as tournament officials were satisfied that Williams had provided the reasoning for her absence.

Following that, fans rallied behind her, even as her cold handshake after the match also grabbed attention and sparked more conversation online.

Through all of that, Roddick continued to stand firmly on her side. “I kind of love that she still cares enough to be salty about press,” the former US Open champion added on the Served Podcast. “I kind of love that, I’ve got to be honest.”

Now, after her early singles exit, Serena will turn her focus to doubles. She is set to partner with sister Venus Williams against Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio in the opening round tomorrow, with many now wondering if the iconic sisters can bounce back and move into the second round.