’A Troubled Individual’

That's what world news feed commentator Doug Adler just called Novak Djokovic during his second round match against Martin Vassallo Arguello.

And that was only the beginning.

I'm not recording the match, so I won't be able to get more direct quotes later. But Adler used that exact description -- “a troubled individual” -- before going on to say Djoke was now too hard to cheer for, that he needed to change his behavior because it's affecting his game, that he acts like it's he and his parents against the world.

My jaw dropped.

Not because I think Adler has no point, but because I've never heard a commentator utter such a blunt judgment about a player, much less a top player, from the commentary box before.

Robbie Koenig seemed startled. After a pregnant pause, he reminded his co-host that it's all about the tennis.

It's been a decidedly quiet broadcast since.