WATCH: Novak Djokovic jokes around with Gael Monfils at Italian Open, Grigor Dimitrov and Frances Tiafoe join in on the fun
Novak Djokovic was recently spotted having a fun workout session with Gael Monfils and the duo was later joined by Grigor Dimitrov and Frances Tiafoe. The Serb will start his Italian Open campaign in the second round on Friday.
Djokovic is going through a title-less season this year. The 36-year-old reached the semifinals of the Australian Open but lost to the eventual champion Jannik Sinner. He was also knocked out by Casper Ruud in the semifinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters and has not competed on the tour since then.
During a recent workout session ahead of his opening match at the Italian Open, Djokovic was spotted sharing a few laughs with the former World No. 6 Gael Monfils. They were eventually greeted by Grigor Dimitrov and Frances Tiafoe and were seen sharing warm camaraderie.
The video was shared by Tennis TV on X ( formerly Twitter) and can be seen below:
Djokovic has never lost before the quarterfinals of the Italian Open and holds an exceptional 67-11 record at the tournament. The World No. 1 will look to clinch his first title of the season in Rome.
Novak Djokovic had a heartwarming meeting with the defending champion
Despite going through a rough patch this year, Djokovic is considered one of the top contenders to win the Italian Open. He recently met another top seed, Daniil Medvedev, and shared a heartwarming moment with the defending champion during a practice session in Rome.
Like Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev has also been handed a first-round bye and will start the tournament on Friday. The defending champion has had an exceptional season with final appearances at the Australian Open and Indian Wells Masters and boasts a win-loss record of 22-6 so far in 2024.
However, the Russian has also experienced a title-less season thus far. Medvedev won the Masters 1000 event in Rome last year after overcoming Holger Rune 7-5, 7-5 in the final.
Both the men's and women's draw of the Italian Open has already begun. The women's draw will run until May 18 while the men's draw will run until May 19.