Watch: Novak Djokovic provides encouragement to young players from Adelaide hotel balcony
Novak Djokovic recently delighted two young fans in Adelaide outside the Hotel Majestic, where he is currently spending his two-week quarantine, by giving them his trademark dose of encouragement.
The two fans, aged 15 and 11, visited the hotel in Adelaide to see their favorite player. While waiting on the street outside, they eventually started playing an impromptu game of tennis.
Novak Djokovic then came on to the balcony of his hotel room and started watching the two youngsters play. The 33-year-old ended up chatting with the two, and even encouraged them to continue playing.
The video of Djokovic's kind gesture can be seen below:
Novak Djokovic has been quarantining in Adelaide over the last few days, along with some of the sport's other top stars. Besides Djokovic, the likes of Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Serena Williams, Simona Halep and Naomi Osaka have also been put up in the South Australian city.
The players are scheduled to play an exhibition event on 29 January before heading to Melbourne, where most of the Australian summer events have been scheduled.
These were suggestions, not demands: Chris Evert on why the bashing of Novak Djokovic is uncalled for
Novak Djokovic has come under fire from several quarters in recent days, despite not making any official comment since arriving in Adelaide.
Reports of the players in Adelaide being allowed extra privileges have supposedly upset the players in Melbourne. Djokovic has also been criticized for sending a list of proposals to Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley, in which he asked for an improvement in the conditions of the Melbourne players placed in hard lockdown.
But on Tuesday Craig Tiley came to the defence of Djokovic, stating that the letter merely contained suggestions and not demands. And now former World No. 1 Chris Evert has also sent out a tweet in support of Djokovic, saying:
"These were suggestions from Novak, not demands... not worthy of judgement or bashing."
Novak Djokovic is an eight-time champion at the Australian Open. He will be gunning for a record-extending ninth Australian Open title next month, and 18th career Grand Slam title overall.
Djokovic is chasing the record for most Majors in men's tennis history - a record shared by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who have both won 20 Slams each. The Serb is also chasing Roger Federer's record of most consecutive weeks at World No. 1 in men's tennis.
Djokovic will break the record of 310 weeks if he remains atop the rankings until 8 March.