- Novak Djokovic tried his hand at wheelchair tennis at an event in Melbourne
- The superstar was put on the microphone and his screams sent the large crowd into hysterics
- One particular shot along the baseline made Djokovic say “no, not there!” shouted.
Novak Djokovic proved he’s human after all after trying wheelchair tennis at a charity event in Melbourne and leaving the crowd in stitches for his struggles.
A sensational line-up of sporting superstars joined Djokovic for a night to remember at Rod Laver Arena ahead of the first round of the Australian Open.
Spectators secured their seats to watch Djokovic take on a variety of challenges, including cricket with Steve Smith and basketball with former NBA player Alan Williams. Track star Peter Bol also put him to the test during running exercises.
Perhaps the highlight of the evening, however, was Djokovic strapping himself into a wheelchair and attempting to participate in a rally while moving unsteadily.
To round out the event, Aryna Sabalenka, the defending Australian Open champion, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Maria Sakkari and Australian wheelchair tennis player Heath Davidson took the court and engaged in something of a chaotic match.
Novak Djokovic tried his hand at wheelchair tennis at a charity event at Rod Laver Arena
The superstar struggled to move the chair and return fire during a chaotic match
At one end of the court, Djokovic, dressed in blue, struggled to move his chair closer to the net and return several shots, with his opponents eager to get him into the action.
Davidson and his doubles partner Sakkari began to apply the pressure after serving, but Djokovic’s own partner, a tennis prodigy nicknamed Mini Novak, was forced to race across almost the full width of the court for the win.
Finally, Davidson hit a forehand down the line that shot to Djokovic’s right, and it was no surprise that the world No. 1 was unable to make contact after dangling his racket.
‘Oh no! Not there!’ Djokovic exclaimed, sending the crowd into hysterics.
The match then went to a tiebreak and Djokovic, forced to resort to desperate measures, called for the help of both Sabalenka and Tsitsipas.
At the start of the match, Djokovic shifted uncomfortably on the chair as he addressed the crowd
A certain Heath Davidson forehand made Djokovic shout ‘Oh no! Not there!’
Pushed along by both players, Djokovic, still awkward in the chair, delivered a forehand from a Sakkari shot, but skewed the shot terribly far from the right baseline.
The game was ended with the score 4-2 for Tsitsipas’ team, allowing Djokovic to get up.
‘Oh my God!’ He said, stumbling away in visible discomfort after standing up.
Djokovic, a 10-time Melbourne champion, will defend his title against a qualifier, with Andy Murray a potential third-round opponent.
Should he progress beyond the first round, he will face the winner of the all-Australian showdown between Alexei Popyrin and Marc Polmans.