Novak Djokovic brushes off timeout 'tactics'

Novak Djokovic brushed off suggestions he was often too ready to call for a medical timeout on court on Monday.  

The Serb requested attention when leading Lleyton Hewitt in their Wimbledon fourth-round clash, complaining of stomach pains before recovering to win in four sets.

Asked if he could tell if there was anything wrong with Djokovic, the feisty Australian curtly replied at his post-match press conference: "I don''t know. He''s always got something ... He was fine again in the fourth."                                           

That prompted a frosty response from Djokovic: "Everybody has an opinion. I don''t know why people think that I am always having something which is absolutely wrong because I haven't asked for medical or physio time out for a long time.                                           

"Anytime I ask, somebody has to say something. So I don't really care," he said.

Andy Roddick famously locked horns with Djokovic at the US Open two years ago, but the Serb said the row had blown over.  

The Serb struggled with a hip problem and an upset stomach in his match in New York with Spaniard Tommy Robredo, prompting Roddick to say Djokovic had been suffering from "16 injuries". 

Roddick mocked Djokovic at a post-match press conference, saying of his injuries: "A back and a hip? And a cramp. Bird Flu .. anthrax... SARS.. common cough and cold.                           

"If it's there, it's there. There's just a lot. He's either quick to call a trainer or he''s the most courageous guy of all time."             

Djokovic, who was on course for a Wimbledon quarter-final clash with Roddick until the American was knocked out by Taiwan''s Lu Yen-hsun, said on Monday he had speedily put the incident at Flushing Meadows behind him.                                           

"Oh look, we went over it very fast. I mean what happened happened. There's a lot of emotions involved. Right now we''re getting along just fine."