Just a day before his second-round match at the French Open, tennis superstar Novak Djokovic took a break from the courts and went for a nighttime bike ride through Paris.
Instead of practicing on the clay, the 24-time Grand Slam champion was seen pedaling through the busy streets near the Arc de Triomphe. Wearing a navy blue tracksuit, sneakers, and a helmet, the 38-year-old Serbian looked relaxed and confident as he cycled through one of the city’s busiest roundabouts.
Even though the traffic around the Arc de Triomphe is known to be chaotic, Djokovic handled it with ease, showing he’s just as comfortable on a bike as he is on a tennis court. A short video of the ride was shared on social media, surprising fans with this unexpected sight.
Speaking about his bike ride, Djokovic said, “We were kind of trying our luck a little bit with that roundabout at the Arc de Triomphe. To be honest, at one point, we had cars all over the place. It was quite an adrenaline experience, but I don’t think I will repeat that, especially in that environment where we were filmed,” he said. “Probably in all other streets, it’s much more safe. But, yeah, we were crazy enough to get into that roundabout. It was fun but at one point but also a bit dangerous.”
During the ride, a fan shouted, “I love you!” and Djokovic replied with a warm, “I love you, too.”
Novak Djokovic through to next round
Novak Djokovic advanced to the third round of the French Open with a commanding straight-sets victory over local favourite Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1) in a night session encounter at Court Suzanne Lenglen on Thursday.
The Serbian ace, seeking his fourth Roland Garros crown and a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title, was in clinical touch throughout the contest. Djokovic will next face Filip Misolic in the third round.
