Novak Djokovic, the top-ranked tennis player from Serbia, reassured fans that he’s okay after being struck on the head by a metal water bottle following his second-round victory at the Italian Open 2024 in Rome.
Despite the incident, Djokovic managed to defeat France’s Corentin Moutet with a score of 6-3, 6-1 on Centre Court, advancing to the third round of the tournament. While it marked a significant milestone in Djokovic’s career with his 1,099th win, the celebratory mood was dampened by the unfortunate injury sustained as he left the court.
During a moment of signing autographs for fans, the incident occurred as Djokovic was struck in the head by a stainless steel water bottle, as captured in footage circulating on social media. The 36-year-old immediately reacted by holding his head in pain and falling to the ground, prompting security guards to surround him. Djokovic was then escorted off the court as officials worked to identify the owner of the water bottle.
“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,” Djokovic posted on X, on late Friday night in Rome.
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
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) May 10, 2024
An alternate view of the incident, shared on social media, depicts a fan’s water bottle accidentally slipping from their bag as they leaned down to request an autograph from Djokovic. Following the match, Djokovic did not proceed with the scheduled press conference, likely due to the incident. Instead, Italian Open officials reported that Djokovic received medical attention at Foro Italico, reassuring that his condition his “condition is not cause of concern.”
“(Djokovic) underwent appropriate medication and has already left the Foro Italico to return to his hotel; his condition is not a cause for concern,” tournament officials said in a statement on Friday.
As a six-time Italian Open champion and holder of 24 Grand Slam titles, the Serbian tennis icon is set to face off against Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo on Sunday, aiming to secure his 1,100th career victory.
