Novak Djokovic’s connection with France runs deep, a bond strengthened by the immense support he’s received from their fans over the years. The Serb boasts three French Open titles and seven Paris Masters victories, and this year, he finally clinched his long-awaited gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Recognizing his extraordinary achievements, it’s only fitting that France has chosen to honor Djokovic in a unique manner by naming a game after him.
The “bounce” game was made popular by Djokovic multiple years ago. Nole indulged in it as a form of a practice drill to improve his speed, touch, and performance at the net. In this game, the player must bounce the ball on his side before returning it to the other side of the net.
An old clip of the Serb doing this drill recently resurfaced on social media where Djokovic was seen playing the game, known as “The Djoko,” with former player Dusan Vemic.
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What began as a simple drill is now being played by several professional players on the tour. Patrick Mouratoglou, one of the most renowned coaches in the sport, also promoted this mini-game.
“I love these two games, the Djokovic’s bounce and the two square bounce. They are fun, demanding and helpful,” Patrick M wrote.
Djokovic has a massive fan following in France. Sadly, these supporters will not be fortunate enough to catch the 24-time Grand Slam winner participating in the upcoming Paris Masters 2024.
Djokovic withdraws from the Paris Masters 2024
Considering his run to the final of the Shanghai Masters 2024, many pundits believed Djokovic could replicate his success in Paris. However, the withdrawal comes as a shock for multiple reasons.
The current edition of the tournament is being held in Bercy for one last time before it gets shifted to the Paris La Defense Arena from 2025 onwards. One would expect him to participate in Bercy, where he’s won seven times in the past, for emotional reasons.
Additionally, the Paris Masters 2024 was Djoko’s final attempt to win an ATP Masters 1000 title in the ongoing season. By choosing to sit out, Djoko will finish a season without a Masters 1000 title for only the third time in his illustrious career.
This also marks the end of the “Big Three’s” reign. For the first time in 21 years, Nadal, Roger Federer, and Djokovic haven’t won a Masters 1000 title in a calendar year.
It looks like Djokovic is focusing on increasing his chances of winning more Grand Slams by skipping other events. This strategy might mean that tennis fans won’t see him in action until the Australian Open 2025.
