Novak Djokovic Accused of Breaking Australian Open Rules in Viral Video of Another Mystery Drink
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Serbian tennis champion Novak Djokovic’s courageous run to the Australian Open final with an injured leg has been tempered by new allegations that he may have broken tournament rules.
Footage has emerged of the Serbian star receiving the mystery drink during his victory over French player Enzo Couacaud in the second round of the Australian Open.
It came during a match in which he dropped the second set and required a medical timeout with a hamstring problem before claiming victory.
His team is seen putting a label on the water bottle before handing it over to a tournament official to deliver to Djokovic on court.
The former world number 1 carefully read what was written on the label when he received the bottle.
The footage has raised concerns that Djokovic and his team may have breached the rules governing when and where players can train during the Open.
Stars can verbally communicate with their team only when they are on the same side of the court. If they are on opposite sides, signals should be used, as was the case when the Djokovic images were taken.
It is the third time in six months that the 21-time Grand Slam winner has sparked controversy with his drink choice at a tennis tournament.
The incident comes after Djokovic suffered a shock loss to Danish teenager Holger Rune at the Paris Masters in November, after which a video of his physical therapist making him a drink dominated headlines.
The physio was caught on camera mixing a mystery drink in the stands before handing it to a ball boy to pass to the Serbian champion. Another member of Djokovic’s team used his back to try to obscure the view of what was happening.
A member of Djokovic’s team hands the bottle with the newly affixed label to a tournament official for delivery during play in the second round of the Australian Open.
Djokovic took the time to carefully read the label on the bottle, with some suggesting that it contained training notes from his team.
Before that, the 21-time Grand Slam champion drew attention for appearing to inhale a substance from a water bottle at the Wimbledon Championships.
When asked what was in the drink bottles, Djokovic only replied: ‘magic potion’.
Many fans were quick to attack the star player for his repeated use of mystery drinks.
“There’s always some conspiracy when it comes to Djokovic,” one responded to the video.
“He does this all the time and seems to run like the cartoon roadrunner afterwards,” added another.
Other tennis fans thought the liquid itself wasn’t a problem, but the note attached to the bottle might be.
Maybe coach notes? suggested a fan.
Others said it could be a sponsorship-related issue.
“A product made by a company that doesn’t endorse it, so they’re covering up the label,” one fan said.
Others have been quick to defend Djokovic from any inconvenience, saying no one would be brazen enough to consume a banned substance in plain sight.
“Too much focus on a team member who mixes sports drinks,” wrote one fan.
‘A fitting ridiculous notion that something is going on, packed stadium, cameras everywhere, mixed drinks in the players’ box… I mean use a bit of logic here, maybe just maybe they don’t want to give advantage to nobody.
Fan holds a banner in support of Novak Djokovic of Serbia during his third round match against Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria
Djokovic has kept his ‘magic potion’ bottles a secret in the past and has been questioned about using mysterious liquids three times in six months.
βTo add to that, inside a locker room you see a team of players always making drinks, in unmarked bottles and kept in the fridge. Training programs, supplement intake, etc. they are trade secrets.
Another tennis fan pointed out that Djokovic had already been cleared at Wimbledon for drinking a “mystery” drink that turned out to be isotonic.
I hope you all had the Wimbledon declaration under your eyes so you can relax. It is isotonic, very popular among athletes’, they published.
‘It is in powder form and can be mixed with water or taken dry and watered afterwards.
Australian Alex de Minaur is the last local remaining in singles and has a big assignment ahead of him in Djokovic
“It’s hard to believe that people are stupid enough to think that any athlete would take a banned substance where thousands of spectators and cameras can see it.” They are regularly tested before and after games and even when they are not playing.’
Another fan posted: “Every athlete has sports, vitamin-enriched, and electrolyte drinks for the purpose of athletes replenishing glucose, fluids, and electrolytes that are lost during strenuous activity.”