Despite the 21 Grand Slam titles to his name and the kind of athleticism that leaves audiences speechless in sheer wonder, Novak Djokovic’s prolific tennis career is one that has come to be overshadowed by controversy. His talent is unmatched and his desire to give back to the game that has created a life beyond his wildest dreams is clear in his charitable work, and yet Djokovic still finds himself rallying against the crowd-favourite on centre court.
Now, the preparation of a drink for the Serbian tennis star during his semi-final victory at the Paris Masters has caused an uproar, only adding to the controversy Djokovic has long been courting. When a video showing the star’s physio Ulises Badio mixing a drink while being shielded by his team was shared on social media, fans were quick to speculate about the “dodgy” concoction.
Someone filmed the coaching staff of Novak Djokovic acting suspiciously in the stands at the ATP Paris championship today.
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) November 7, 2022
Several men attempted to block view of a person who appeared to be mixing a drink that was then delivered to Djokovic ????pic.twitter.com/fNjMK0N3NR
So great was the fervour surrounding the video – which has since been viewed 15 million times – that Djokovic’s wife, Jelena, felt the need to comment on Twitter. Fielding questions about what was in the mixture and why his team were attempting to hide it, Jelena wrote: “I don’t see anything dodgy.”
She added, “I see people trying to be private about their business in a world where everyone feels like they have every right to point a camera at you whenever they want. Apparently, wanting/trying to be private makes you dodgy nowadays. He will talk when he is ready to talk. Sit a bit in silence. Mind yourself more. Not everything you see is controversial. It could be private. Is that allowed?”
I don’t see anything dodgy. In fact, I see people trying to be private about their business in a world where everyone feels like they have every right to point camera at you whenever they want.
— Jelena Djokovic (@jelenadjokovic) November 8, 2022
Apparently, wanting/trying to be private makes you dodgy nowadays.
Though Djokovic has been notably coy about the drink, American former professional tennis star Patrick McEnroe has jumped to his defence. Given the stringent drugs testing policy in place in tennis, McEnroe insists there is nothing wrong with the drink, saying: “As we found out recently with Simona Halep testing positive, these players are getting tested all the time. So if there was anything illegal in the drinks that they were mixing, which they do for them all the time during matches, it’s likely that he would test positive for it.”
It’s not the first time Djokovic has come under fire during a match for something he consumed during play. Previously, during the Wimbledon final against Australian Nick Kyrgios in June, he was seen inhaling a powder which he later described as a “magic potion,” saying: “It’s going to come out as one of the supplement, let’s say, lines that I’m doing right now with a drink and a few other things.”
He added, “You’ll try it and you’ll let me know how it feels. You might win Wimbledon.”
