Watch: Novak Djokovic spends Christmas playing tennis in his neighborhood in Belgrade
Amid growing speculation around Novak Djokovic's participation at the 2022 Australian Open, the World No. 1 was spotted spending his Christmas holidays back home in Belgrade.
In an Instagram post shared by one of his fans, Djokovic can be seen playing a casual game of tennis around the neighborhood on Christmas morning.
"Working saturday... the one and only Novak Djokovic," the fan captioned the post on Instagram.
Although only Djokovic is seen in the video, photos of the tennis star along with Serbian handball player Petar Djordjic have been doing the rounds on social media.
Novak Djokovic and Benfica’s handball player (the best, btw) Petar Djordjic in Belgrade today. https://t.co/U7lti3xjcQ
Djordjic plays for the Benfica Handball Team in Andebol, the top tier of handball leagues in Portugal. Novak Djokovic is a staunch supporter of Benfica's football team, leading to a close connection between the two Serbian nationals.
Novak Djokovic is yet to leave for Australia to kick off his 2022 season. The 20-time Grand Slam champion officially begins the year at the ATP Cup in Sydney, where Serbia is drawn alongside Chile, Spain and Norway.
The Serb will then shift his focus to the Australian Open, where he is the defending champion. Djokovic will be looking to become the first male player to win 21 Majors. He is currently tied with Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal on 20 Slams.
Is Novak Djokovic set to skip the ATP Cup?
Meanwhile, recent reports have given rise to more uncertainty regarding Novak Djokovic's participation in the 2022 ATP Cup. Sources close to the Serb have reported that he might possibly skip the tournament.
Djokovic's ATP Cup participation was one of the reasons fans believed he would compete at the Australian Open as well. Both tournaments follow the same entry protocols for players.
It is possible that Djokovic might miss the ATP Cup for purely fitness reasons, as it would give him an extended break before he begins his title defense of the Australian Open. Nonetheless, questions regarding his vaccination status continue to grow.
Over the last week, tennis players as well as others involved in the sport claimed that Djokovic not being vaccinated was just pure speculation. They pointed to the fact that his presence on the entry list for the ATP Cup meant he must have already been vaccinated.
If Djokovic is unvaccinated, January 2 is the deadline by which he can arrive in Australia and still play the first Grand Slam of the year.
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