Steve Smith's tennis skills amazes Novak Djokovic in an unforgettable charity showdown (WATCH)
By Ovaise Shariff | First Published Jan 12, 2024, 4:01 PM ISTFormer Australian captain Steve Smith wows the crowd and surprises tennis legend Novak Djokovic with his remarkable tennis skills in a charity game ahead of the Australian Open.
Australia's cricket sensation Steve Smith, widely recognised as one of the top cricketers in the world, showcased unexpected tennis skills that left the crowd at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne in awe. In a charity game ahead of the Australian Open, where he faced Novak Djokovic, Smith's tennis prowess surprised even the 24-time Grand Slam winner.
Game respects game!
(And Novak is just like the rest of us when it comes to Smudge...) • • • pic.twitter.com/ioL8hjVSrF
Djokovic served directly at Smith's body, but the Australian cricketer's impressive footwork allowed him to flawlessly return the ball, landing it inside the court. Novak, visibly astonished, expressed his admiration by giving Smith a small bow.
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In a playful exchange, Djokovic also attempted cricket, but his performance was less remarkable. Trying to hit the ball out of the ground with a cricket bat, he missed it entirely, but next he smashed the ball into the crowd replacing the cricket bat with his Tennis racquet.
Is it too late to add him to the test squad?! From the sounds of it the selectors are open to trying things out... • • pic.twitter.com/VAJq2KFShr
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen)As Djokovic prepares to defend his bid for an 11th Australian Open crown, he faces uncertainty due to a wrist problem that hindered him at the United Cup, resulting in a loss to Australian Alex De Minaur. The Serbian, with 24 majors under his belt, triumphed in last year's Australian Open final and added the French and US Open titles to his illustrious career.
Djokovic's first-round opponent will be a qualifier or lucky loser, with the potential for a showdown against Grand Slam champion Andy Murray in the third round. Meanwhile, Greek seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas faces a challenging opening opponent in former top 10 Italian Matteo Berrettini, and Djokovic looms as a potential quarter-finalist. Spanish world number two Carlos Alcaraz, the only player to defeat Djokovic at a Slam last year, commences his campaign against French veteran Richard Gasquet.
Third seed Daniil Medvedev, a two-time Melbourne finalist, is set to face a qualifier in the first round, with a potential third-round clash against 27th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who faces a tough opening test against former world number three Dominic Thiem.
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