Advertisement

Tennis world erupts over Ash Barty and Djokovic moment at Olympics

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·4-min read
Novak Djokovic and Ash Barty, pictured here at the Tokyo Olympics.
Novak Djokovic sat down and watched Ash Barty go about her work. Image: Twitter/Getty

Novak Djokovic and Ash Barty have sent tennis fans into a frenzy after meeting on the practice court at the Olympics in Tokyo.

Ahead of the commencement of the Olympics tennis event on Sunday, World No.1s Djokovic and Barty were seen out on the practice court on Thursday.

'UNFAIR': Athletes caught in terrible Olympics virus 'scandal'

'WHAT A JOKE': Uproar at 'atrocious' moment in Aussie victory

Barty and Djokovic could be seen sharing some words together as they crossed paths, before Djokovic sat down and watched Barty hit.

In awesome photos captured by Getty Images, Djokovic could be seen clapping and cheering as Barty went about her work.

Barty and Djokovic are the two of the highest-profile players in the tennis event at the Olympics after Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams all withdrew.

Fans were delighted to see them on court together, taking to social media to applaud the camaraderie.

"Just a couple of world No.1s getting ready to win Olympic gold," journalist Joe Barton tweeted.

Djokovic was also spotted sharing a practice hit with fellow grand slam champion Andy Murray.

Novak Djokovic not distracted by 'Golden Slam'

Djokovic can move one step closer to a historic 'Golden Slam' if he wins the title at the Olympics.

The only player in history to win all four majors and an Olympic gold medal in the same year is Steffi Graf, who did so in 1988.

Djokovic is three-fifths of the way there after winning the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon so far in 2021.

And the World No.1 says he's learned from his previous Olympics heartbreak and will not allow himself to be distracted from his quest to become the first man to complete the 'Golden Slam'.

Ash Barty and Novak Djokovic, pictured here on the practice court at the Tokyo Olympics.
Ash Barty and Novak Djokovic crossed paths on the practice court at the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

The Olympics haven't proven to be the happiest hunting ground for Djokovic in his previous three appearances.

"I know it's going to be boring for you guys to hear me say that I will take things very slowly and cautiously and focus on the next challenge," Djokovic, who owns only a bronze medal from Beijing in 2008, told reporters on Thursday.

"But this is the kind of approach that I really need to have because in the past I wasn't probably truly experiencing that approach, and that has backfired on me.

"I started to feel that there were lot of distractions around that were influencing my performance."

Djokovic will first face Bolivia's 139th-ranked Hugo Dellien in the opening round in Tokyo, while Barty will make her Olympics debut against Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Barty, who is looking to add Olympic gold to her two grand slam trophies, has a tough road through to the Tokyo final starting with the World No.48.

Sorribes Tormo was a recent second round casualty at Wimbledon but proved a fighter, pushing former champion Angelique Kerber to three sets.

Barty and the 24-year-old Spaniard have never met before.

If the Australian star wins her first two matches she will meet Russian veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, currently ranked 18 and the No.13 seed, in the third round at the Ariake Tennis Park.

with AAP

Watch 'Mind Games', the new series from Yahoo Sport Australia exploring the often brutal mental toil elite athletes go through in pursuit of greatness:

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.