Novak Djokovic surprises young athletes at Eurobalkan FIS Cup while on skiing vacation in Serbia
Tennis legend Novak Djokovic greeted competitors of the Eurobalkan FIS Cup and the National Skiing Championships being held at Kopaonik, Serbia's largest mountain range. Young skiers were surprised by the presence of Djokovic in the morning who passed by the start and greeted them all, Serbia-based internet newsletter Niske Vesti reported.
The Nis Ski Club and the Ski Federation of Serbia are organizing the 20th Eurobalkan Cup and the National Skiing Championship at Kopaonik. Interestingly, Djokovic's father Srdjan Djokovic is a former professional skiier and skiing coach. He worked in Kopaonik ski resort, a popular tourist destination in Serbia, where he runs a pizza restaurant.
Though Srdjan taught Novak to ski at a very young age, the latter took to tennis as his career. The Serbian legend has a close connection with Kopaonik where the Djokovic family spent their summer and winter vacations.
Kopaonik is also the place where a Yugoslav company chose to build tennis courts that enabled Novak Djokovic, who has won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, to join a tennis camp to groom his skills. Srdjan allowed the six-year-old Djokovic to participate in the camp under the supervision of Yugoslav tennis player Jelena Gencic.
"He wished the young competitors good luck and some ofthe instructors took the opportunity to take pictures with the best tennis player of all time," Niske Vesti reported. "It is known that Novak is an excellent skiier, and the slopes of Kopaonik are well known to him, because he often skiied here when he was younger and competed. Every winter, he returns regularly and happily," it said.
The presence of Novak Djokovic led to enthusiasm among both domestic and foreign competitors, Niske Vesti said.
"The track where the competition takes place on the second day is one of the most difficult in Europe, but it was obviously used only for training by Novak," it said.
Novak Djokovic to kickstart clay season at Monte-Carlo Masters
Novak Djokovic will open his clay court season at the Monte-Carlo Masters, an ATP 1000 event. He has won the Monte-Carlo Masters in 2013 and 2015. The tournament would be held at the Monte-Carlo Country Club from April 8 to 14.
Novak Djokovic lost to Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the Round of 16 at the tournament last year. All the top-10 players on the ATP Tour would participate in the Monte-Carlo Masters, which heralds the start to the clay court season, this year.
The World No. 1 was dealing with an elbow injury during his campaign at the Monte-Carlo Masters last year. The Serb has had a lacklustre start to the 2024 season during which he has played just three tournaments; the United Cup in Australia, Australian Open and the Indian Wells Masters.
His best showing so far in 2024 came at the Australian Open where he was the defending champion. Djokovic lost to eventual champion Janiik Sinner of Italy in the semifinals.