'We were both naked': Djokovic's mid-match ice bath with opponent
Novak Djokovic has cracked up fans at the US Open, revealing he shared a naked ice-bath with his opponent…in the middle of their match.
The former men’s singles champion opened his campaign for a repeat victory with a tough first-round win in sweltering heat and humid conditions.
Djokovic looked in real trouble in the steamy conditions against Marton Fucsovics and admitted to feeling sick during the almost three hour encounter but recovered to win 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-0 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The reigning Wimbledon champion, who has struggled in similar situations in the past, called for the doctor during the second set and trailed by a break in the third before Hungarian Fucsovics, too, began to wilt.
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The heat was so brutal on Tuesday afternoon (local time) at Flushing Meadows that tournament officials added a 10-minute break between the third and fourth set of the men’s best-of-five singles matches.
And after his match, Djokovic revealed exactly what he and Fucsovics got up to during the break.
“It was funny because Marton and I were [in the] ice bath one next to the other,” he said.
“So we had the two ice baths, we were naked in the ice baths – it was a quite wonderful feeling, you know.
“Battling with a guy for two-and-a-half hours and then you get into the locker room and you haven’t finished the match and you’re naked in the ice bath.
“It was quite a magnificent feeling, I must say.”
LOLOL. Djokovic, talking about what he did in that 10-minute break … "We were naked in the ice bath" right next to each other …
— Joe Fleming (@ByJoeFleming) August 28, 2018
Djokovic with the quote of the tournament so far, talking about being in the next ice bath to Fucsovics during the 10-minute break: "We were naked in the ice baths and it was a quite wonderful feeling."
— Eleanor Crooks (@EleanorcrooksPA) August 28, 2018
Djokovic on what he did during the 10-minute break after the third set: 'Marton and I were naked in the ice baths next to each other… It was quite a magnificent feeling I must say!' 😂
— George Bellshaw (@BellshawGeorge) August 28, 2018
Nole won in 4 sets, last one 6:0 so he ended up the fitter in the brutal conditions. Jelena looked happy courtside.He laughed when he said at the 10 min break both he & his opponent were side by side,naked in their ice baths, & he found it a great new experience lol 😂 #NoleFam pic.twitter.com/EXAmfLl7do
— NovakDjokovicUKFan🐊 (@DjokovicUk) August 28, 2018
Novak Djokovic, …. goes on to reveal that he and Marton Fucsovics both sat naked in ice baths during the 10-minute after set three. “What a beautiful moment,” he says. His wife, Jelena, has a confused smile on her face in the stands.
Beautiful#Djokovic us open— Niles 'The Wolf' D. (@Sapio6ual) August 28, 2018
Am I the only one confused about Djokovic going on and on about being naked with his opponent in the ice bath? #USOpen2018
— Bayo Owolabi (@bhary0ur) August 28, 2018
Mental image of Djokovic/Fucsovics side-by-side naked ice baths brought to you by #USOpen and the brutal heat in NYC.
— Emily (@ejohnson3131) August 28, 2018
Djokovic said he got naked and got in an ice bath during that 10-minute break between the third and the fourth set. Fucsovics did the same, Djokovic said. Hey — he got asked, and he answered. 😂
— Jill Martin (@ByJillMartin) August 28, 2018
Both players took advantage of the break before Djokovic made swift work of his opponent on the resumption to set up a second-round clash against American Tennys Sandgren, who eased past Viktor Troicki in straight sets.
with AAP
