Djokovic's team sprung in 'suspicious' video

2 years ago 71

A tennis instrumentality has captured funny footage of Novak Djokovic's squad seemingly attempting to conceal a substance it was preparing courtside for the 21-time expansive slam champion astatine the Paris Masters.

The video was taken during Djokovic's third-set tiebreak triumph implicit Stefanos Tsitsipas successful the semi finals connected Sunday. He was aboriginal defeated by unseeded Danish teen Holger Rune 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 successful the final.

The clip appears to amusement the Serbian's entourage mixing a mysterious concoction.

As members of the squad realise they are being watched, they alteration their seating positions to shield the contents of a yellowish h2o vessel from view.

The h2o vessel is past handed implicit the sideline to a shot kid who runs it to Djokovic arsenic helium sits connected his players' seat adjacent to the umpire's chair.

In effect to the video, starring tennis writer Ben Rothenberg called for greater transparency astir the substances being taken by players, describing the assemblage connection of Djokovic's squad arsenic "bizarre".

"I've ever thought determination should beryllium much transparency astir the substances players take, peculiarly during matches, but I've besides seldom thought thing was apt amiss," helium said successful a tweet.

"But golly, the assemblage connection successful this video is bizarre. What does the Djokovic squad deliberation needs hiding?"

"I deliberation rivals (and the nationalist and the officials governing the sport) should get to cognize [the substance]. I don't deliberation determination should beryllium concealed substances being ingested during competition.

"I'm accusing nary 1 of thing here, but what an incredibly suspicious mode to commencement acting erstwhile you abruptly announcement that you're being filmed. [I] Hope Djokovic and/or his squad get asked astir this contiguous successful Paris, and that they don't conscionable judge his erstwhile "magic potions" answer."

Djokovic was antecedently asked astir chartless substances he appeared to inhale astatine Wimbledon earlier this year. The 35-year-old responded to questions by saying: "It's a magic potion, that's each I tin say".

"You'll find retired soon," helium added, "but I can't talk astir it now."

Rothenberg did not connote Djokovic had engaged successful thing banned but argued it wasn't a bully look for his squad to enactment successful specified a suspicious way.

"It's not the crouching, it's directing the different feline to artifact the camera by turning his back," helium wrote.

"The optics of that are conscionable unusual and invitation much questions."

Rothenberg besides explained that members of a player's container are not thoroughly checked earlier entering a venue up of a match.

"There is nary regularisation oregon inspection of this benignant of happening that I'm alert of," helium said.

Djokovic was not asked astir the concern pursuing his nonaccomplishment to Rune.

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here