Djokovic match in Australian Open paused as booing fans told to go

Fans booed when they were told over the stadium loudspeakers to leave because they needed to be home by midnight.

Novak Djokovic's match against Taylor Fritz has resumed after being halted for nearly 10 minutes in the fourth set while Rod Laver Arena was cleared of spectators ahead of the start of a five-day COVID-19 lockdown in Victoria state.

Security usher spectators from Rod Laver Arena during the third round match between Serbia's Novak Djokovic and United States' Talyor Fritz at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, will begin its third lockdown on midnight Friday due to a rapidly spreading COVID-19 cluster centered on hotel quarantine. (AP)

Fans booed when they were told over the stadium loudspeakers to leave because they needed to be home by midnight.

The government allowed the Grand Slam tournament to continue but said no fans can attend the matches for at least the next five days.

Djokovic took the opening two sets of the third-round match against Fritz. But Djokovic slipped on the white “MELBOURNE” lettering at the back of the blue court early in the third set and hurt his mid-section.

Djokovic took a medical timeout, then was visited again by the trainer for more treatment later.