Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in motion throughout his match towards Britain’s Cameron Norrie on November 23, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Novak Djokovic was livid after being requested to bear a dope check shortly before Serbia’s Davis Cup win over Great Britain, though the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) stated Saturday it was commonplace follow and he had not been singled out.
The report 24-time males’s Grand Slam winner revealed his anger at being requested before the 2-0 win on Thursday which despatched Serbia into the Davis Cup semi-finals, quite than after.
Djokovic stated officers requested for samples 90 minutes before his straight units 6-4, 6-4 win over Cameron Norrie.
“I didn’t believe that they could make such a decision, in 20 and more years of my career, it never happened to me that an hour-and-a-half before the match, I needed to go for doping control,” the 36-year-old informed Serbian reporters.
“I have my own routine — I don’t need that distraction, to have my urine and blood taken, to think about whether I can give urine at that moment.”
Djokovic stated he had no downside with being examined “a hundred times” however not before the match.
However the ITIA stated the entire workforce was topic to testing and it was a normal method for workforce tournaments.
“Due to the format of team competitions, including the Davis Cup, teams may be notified that they have been selected for testing before matches begin and then provide samples when they are ready,” an ITIA spokesman informed AFP.
“Between notification and providing the sample, they are chaperoned by a member of the anti-doping team.”
World primary Djokovic was already in dangerous humour after a run-in with some British followers throughout his victory over Norrie.
The ATP Finals champion informed them to “shut up” and present “respect” to gamers after they tried to drown him out with drums throughout his post-match victory speech.
Serbia face Italy within the Davis Cup semi-finals on Saturday with Djokovic set to face world quantity 4 Jannik Sinner within the second singles rubber.
