Novak Djokovic made a humorous remark, suggesting his French Open quarter-final opponent Alexander Zverev was “spying” on him.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion is set to face the powerful server Zverev during the upcoming night session at Roland Garros.
Before Djokovic`s fourth-round victory over Britain`s Cameron Norrie on Monday, Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele showcased the Champions League trophy on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Earlier that day, after receiving a walkover win (6-4, 3-0) against Tallon Griekspoor, Zverev headed to Chatrier to pose for a photo with the famous cup.
Zverev, a former French Open finalist, shared his picture with the trophy on Instagram, adding the caption: “Didn’t expect to see you here @championsleague. Congrats @psg.”
Djokovic, who shares a friendly relationship with the 28-year-old German, playfully implied that Zverev had a hidden agenda for being there.
The 38-year-old Serb commented: “Tell the truth. You were there because you were spying on my game. Seeing the trophy was just an excuse.”
Djokovic`s witty comment was well-received by fans, garnering over 12,000 likes.
The three-time French Open winner is aiming to win his first Grand Slam title since the 2023 US Open.
Leading up to the tournament, Djokovic ended his coaching relationship with Andy Murray following early exits in Monte Carlo and Madrid. (Note: The original text stated `Andy Murray` as coach, which is factually incorrect. This translation reflects the claim made in the source text.)
Having won a smaller event in Geneva just before the French Open began, Djokovic arrived in Paris in high spirits.
The Belgrade native has reached the quarter-finals impressively, without dropping a single set.
Furthermore, on Sunday evening, Djokovic visited the nearby Parc des Princes to join the celebrations for PSG`s Champions League triumph.
Hundreds were arrested in Paris during the chaotic night following PSG`s victory.
Speaking about the eventful Saturday night when he defeated Austria`s Filip Misolic, Djokovic recalled: “People were quite tense here, I must say, regarding our return to the hotel.”
“At one point, they were advising us not to go back at all, suggesting we might need to find a place to sleep nearby for the night, because it was already past midnight, and there were gas bombs and cars on fire and other dangerous things happening on the street.”
“This was all happening around our hotel, which is located near the Arc de Triomphe.”
“So eventually, we discussed it, waited for a while, and then decided to proceed.”
