Novak Djokovic, on Friday, did a Cristiano Ronaldo during a press conference at the Paris Olympics as he avoided Coca-Cola bottles and replaced them with water, just like the soccer star did at the European Championships a few years ago.
Ronaldo had set a trend of not being afraid of shunning tournament sponsors as a sportsperson has beliefs of their own, which they have a lot of conviction for. The Portuguese legend is a shining example in the world of sports to remain fit and healthy, making youngsters look upto him.
Similarly, Djokovic too could have had Coca-Cola in front of him like his team members, but had water bottles placed from the same company instead. The Serb also doesn’t like carbonated, aerated drinks, as it doesn’t fit into his healthy and active lifestyle.
With this gesture, one can expect more Djokovic and Ronaldo comparisons in the future. Djokovic is a big Ronaldo fan as he has also copied his signature ‘Siu’ style of celebration many times in the past as well.
I like this statement by Novak.
Ronaldo did a similar thing: rejecting toxic soft drinks like Coke and Pepsi…
Stand by your beliefs. Always. pic.twitter.com/86IGfnRHPb
— Puneet (@TennisPuneet) July 25, 2024
During the press conference, the 24-time Grand Slam champion was asked about the possibility of a second-round duel with his biggest rival Rafael Nadal and his feelings on the same. Replying to this, he said that it was just going to be like the ‘good old days’ and the two would surely put up a spectacular match.
“It will surely be a spectacle, like the good old days when we played on more or less all the big tennis courts around the world. I’m also excited for that eventual duel, but I have to overcome the first obstacle and do my best to go as far as possible,” said the 37-year-old tennis star.
Djokovic was also asked about the transition from the era of the Big 4 with the emergence of stars like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. While he called both of them ‘two of the best players in the world’, he also added:
“But I think as long as there is at least one of us left, I think the era is still going.”
However, the Serb still has his eyes set on the gold medal, despite his recent defeat to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon 2024 final. The former World No.1 is preparing hard and for the same reason, he has opted out of living in the Olympic Village.
The Olympic gold is perhaps the only major honor missing from his trophy cabinet. Hence, he will be following his own preparation schedule and has isolated himself from other athletes so that he can concentrate fully on his training and goals.
Djokovic is set to face Australia’s Matt Ebden in the first round of the men’s singles event on Saturday morning. He has opted out of the doubles event to show how important this singles medal is for him, as it is set to be the last Olympics appearance of his career.
