Novak Djokovic’s wife Jelena reacts to Serb hilariously walking off with his tennis racket after hitting a golf shot during Ryder Cup appearance
Novak Djokovic’s wife Jelena was amused by the Serb’s hilarious reaction to one of his golfing shots during his recent Ryder Cup appearance.
On Wednesday, September 27, Djokovic participated in the inaugural All-Star Match in the lead-up to the Ryder Cup. He represented the winning Team Monty alongside golfer Kipp Popert, surfer Leonardo Fioravanti, former soccer star Gareth Bale, and Dude Perfect co-founder Garrett Hilbert.
Team Monty was led by Scottish professional golfer Colin Montgomerie. They competed against Team Pavin, which was led by American professional golfer Corey Pavin.
Ahead of his tee-off at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Djokovic took to the driving range to hit a few practice swings. Several fans gathered to watch the 24-time Grand Slam champion trade his tennis racket for a golf club.
Novak Djokovic earned plaudits as he showed off his golf skills during the range session. The Serb responded to the acknowledgment by hilariously taking his hat off, pulling out his back-up tennis racket from the golf bag, and walking away.
His response amused his wife Jelena, who reacted to it on social media by adding a teary-eyed laughing emoji.
“I had to make sure I have a good enough level” – Novak Djokovic on his preparations for the Ryder Cup All-Star MatchNovak Djokovic at the Ryder Cup in Italy
Novak Djokovic at the Ryder Cup in Italy
Novak Djokovic teamed up with G4D Tour’s (Golf for the disabled) Kipp Popert during the All-Star match. The pair were pitted against Team Pavin’s Carlos Sainz (F1 driver) and Tommaso Perrino (G4D player). Djokovic and Popert secured a 3-1 win against their opponents.
Following the event, the Serb revealed that he came fully prepared for the All-Star Match at the Ryder Cup. He also hilariously confessed that his need to practice stemmed from the fear of embarrassing himself.
“When I got an invite, I was like, ‘Oh my god. I gotta accept this.’ I got a bit prepared,” the Serb said in conversation with the Golf Channel.“[I thought] ‘Cannot embarrass myself, cannot hit someone in the head… because we don’t want that. I have no insurance,'” he jokingly added.
Djokovic further stated that he made time to prepare despite his hectic dad duties.
“But then I started to ask questions like, ‘Who is participating,’ and I wanted to know their handicap. And I started to train a bit more, I got lessons, and yeah… when you become a father, you have less time. I haven’t played much golf in the last six years. But I increased the amount of golf I’ve played in the last six months, especially in the last ten days,” he said.
Djokovic, who was recently crowned the US Open champion for the fourth time in his career, further expressed his gratitude about the All-Star Match invitation.
“So, I had to make sure I have a good enough level. It was a thrill and I am super grateful to the Ryder Cup for hosting me and my team.”
The 36-year-old also said that he would be extending his trip to Italy by a few days since he wished to witness the atmosphere at the Ryder Cup tee-off on Friday, September 29.
“I’m going to stay for a few days just because I need to see the tee off on Friday, 7 a.m., I heard the atmosphere is electric, everyone is talking about the noise and the incredible vibe that you get to feel. So, I’m gonna be there for that and just enjoy fantastic golf,” he said.
