Novak Djokovic is a master of tennis. His 23 Grand Slam titles are a testament to his on-court skills. But Novak‘s talents are not just limited to tennis, as he is a well-known impersonator too. His impersonation skills were on display recently, when he imitated his old friend, Maria Sharapova, much to the fans’ delight.
A big crowd had turned up to watch Novak practice, and they got more than what they had bargained for. Djokovic amused them with his impersonations of players like Maria Sharapova and Nick Kyrgios.
He’s got all the jokes. 😂
Can you tell us who @DjokerNole is impersonating?? pic.twitter.com/OrtiL2UK3Q
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 23, 2023
Djokovic is back to playing at the US Open for the first time since 2021. The last time he played at the Flushing Meadows, he faced a crushing defeat at the hands of Daniil Medvedev. So this time Djokovic is sure to put on a show for the fans that is just not limited to his racket.
Djokovic and Sharapova go a long way back and are good friends with each other. Novak has often imitated Sharapova’s elaborate serve routine to entertain crowds. Here are a few of Novak’s best impressions of his old friend, Maria.
When Maria Sharapova confronted Novak Djokovic for his impression of her
Novak was playing at the Boodles tournament against Grigor Dimitrov when he channeled his inner Sharapova. His impression of the Russian tennis star greatly amused the fans. Djokovic hilariously pulled off Maria’s serve routine and ended it with an exaggerated scream. Even Dimitrov got a good laugh out of it.
However, Maria confronted her old friend Novak at the pre-Wimbledon press conference. When the Serb asked her if she did not like the video, Maria said she “loved it”.
It was indeed a hysterical video and impersonation. But Sharapova pointed out that she no longer does what Djokovic imitated, like tucking her hair behind her ears. It was just a representation of fun banter between old friends.
When Novak ‘Sharapova’ Djokovic walked out for an interview
Djokovic is the brand ambassador of HEAD Tennis rackets, and so was Sharapova before her retirement. They were scheduled for a press conference in New York City. However, the crowd was in for a surprise when Novak walked in wearing a blonde wig and carrying a racket bag, pretending to be Maria.
Sharapova herself walked in next and poked fun at the Serb for his choice of clothes. She was unhappy with the wig though, saying it was the wrong shade of blonde.
When Djokovic imitated both Sharapova and Rafael Nadal
During the US Open in 2007, Novak entertained the spectators with his hilarious impressions. He did not just imitate Sharapova this time, as Rafael Nadal also fell victim to his impersonation.
Djokovic imitated his rival Nadal as a special request from the crowd. His impression of the Spaniard and Sharapova was met with loud cheers and whistles from the stands.
The return of the blonde wig
If you thought you had seen the last of the wig, you would be very wrong. Djokovic donned the wig once again on the court leaving everyone rolling on their stomachs. Besides Maria’s serve routine, the Serbian also played forehands the way the Russian player did. Maria herself joined her friend on the tennis court and burst into a laugh as she returned Djokovic’s serve.
Novak imitates Sharapova for an interview once again
Djokovic returned as Sharapova for a HEAD interview again, wearing the same blonde wig that the Russian star disliked. He spoke as Maria for the new YouTek Instinct racket, that the brand was about to introduce to the market.
At the end of the video, Novak burst into a laugh at his own antics. Even the crew joined in, laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of it all.
Maria Sharapova retired from professional tennis in 2020. Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, shows no signs of stopping. He will be seen at the US Open next, which begins on August 28th.