Djokovic wants dancers to perform at tennis matches

'I think that we should try to look to connect more with the younger people and bring them in'

IMAGE: With the exception of Wimbledon, which Novak Djokovic said he "would not change much", the Serbian said he would like to see entertainment during breaks in play. Photograph: Edgar SuReuters

Novak Djokovic has backed Danielle Collins for her cheeky response to hostile fans at the Australian Open and said the sport could afford to take itself a little less seriously.

Collins blew kisses at the booing crowd and thanked them for paying for her next five-star vacation after beating local Destanee Aiava in the second round on Thursday.

Djokovic, who endured constant heckling from one fan throughout his third round victory on Friday, said he had every sympathy for Collins and thought she had handled the situation well.

"I loved her response," the 24-times Grand Slam champion told reporters with laugh.

"I loved it, everything she said on the court, off the court. Big fan of Danielle Collins after that. I was before, but now, big fan. I think she was funny, smart, and just big fan of what she did."

On the wider point of whether tennis was too conservative a sport, Djokovic said the sport was rightly proud of its history and traditions.

"At the same time, I think we have been a little bit behind the other sports with changes and trying to keep the pace with the evolution of society and the new generation that we all know doesn't have that much of a great attention span," he said.

"So, for example, the last couple of years I think only that we have this new rule where people are able to come in even if it's not a changeover. So I guess that's one of the ways to really try to open up a bit more and not have strict rules."

With the exception of Wimbledon, which Djokovic said he "would not change much", the Serbian said he would like to see entertainment during breaks in play.

"I think that we should try to look to connect more with the younger people and bring them in," he added. "

"For example, why wouldn't we consider doing something between the sets like the Super Bowl or, I don't know, the NBA, right?

"When there is a timeout, they have dancers come in and this and that. I wouldn't have problem with that ... I feel like it would bring more of a fun element and entertainment to tennis that we know has been quite traditional and maybe conservative in some things.

"So I'm up for it, just like maybe gradual changes. Dancers first."