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World Number 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic is set to make his return to Indian Wells after five years with an intent to win his sixth title. The last time Djokovic participated in the tournament was in 2019 when he was knocked out after a third-round defeat. The Serb didn’t participate in the tournament following that because he wasn’t vaccinated against Covid-19. Till last spring, U.S. regulations required non-citizen visitors to get vaccinated.
Djokovic holds the tournament record of 20 consecutive wins from 2014-2016 and lifted the trophy in five editions- 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Joining him will be the three-time winner Rafael Nadal, who missed last year’s edition due to his injury. The combined ATP and WTA tour will kick off on March 3 and last till March 17. The competition will also see the presence of names like Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz, Elene Ryabakina, Jannik Sinner, and Aryna Sabalenka.
Novak Djokovic rips t-shirt in ATP’s ‘Reality Show'
The 24-time Grand Slam winner was seen ripping his t-shirt off in a hilarious video posted by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), termed as a ‘reality show’. The video depicts that none of what the fans see on TV is true and the tennis stars are the actors. In the parody video, Djokovic can be seen ripping the t-shirt, while a nervous Carlos Alcaraz could be seen rehearsing his lines before walking into the court.
According to the video, Djokovic is Bert Critchley, a prominent actor who was earlier a supporting cast member of the Big Four and went on to become the leading men’s singles player. The ATP says, "Silly you for believing any player could win 24 Grand Slams and 40 ATP Masters 1000 titles.” About the Critchley, the ATP says, “Critchley has won eight Emmys for his portrayal of the inimitable competitor.”
