Novak Djokovic’s injury: Novak Djokovic is recovering from a head injury after being hit by a water bottle at the Italian Open.
The tennis star, 36, was accidentally struck in the head by a fan’s bottle as he signed autographs following his win over France’s Corentin Moutet at the Italian Open in Rome on Friday, May 10.
Novak Djokovic’s injury
In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) by The Tennis Letter, Djokovic was captured being hit on the top of his head by a water bottle that slipped out of a fan’s backpack as they leaned over to try and shake his hand.
As the bottle hit him, Djokovic grabbed his head and fell to the floor, before he was tended to by a security guard in Foro Italico, where the Open took place.
Novak Djokovic’s injury
According to the BBC, Djokovic remained on the ground for some time before he was escorted out of the arena by security. He did not appear at the post-match news conference following the incident.
Djokovic later confirmed he was “fine” in a message on X after the incident. “Thank you for the messages of concern. This was an accident and I am fine resting at the hotel with an ice pack. See you all on Sunday. #IBI24,” he wrote.
The tournament organizers shared in a statement that Djokovic was checked after the incident and his “condition is not a cause for concern.”
Novak Djokovic’s injury
Novak Djokovic’s injury
“A boy was calling out to get an autograph and the bottle fell out of his bag. Novak has undergone the necessary checks and has already left to return to his hotel,” the statement read, per Sky News.
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Despite the painful incident, the 24-time Grand Slam champion poked fun at the ordeal the next day as he posted a video of himself arriving at the tournament wearing a cyclist’s helmet on Saturday, May 11.
“Today I came prepared. #IBI24,” the sports star captioned a clip of himself approaching fans wearing the helmet to sign autographs.
Djokovic will next play Chilean competitor Alejandro Tabilo in the tournament on Sunday, May 12.
