- Novak Djokovic wears helmet and signs autographs for fans at Italian Open
- The world number one was hit by a bottle while signing autographs at the Foro Italico on Friday.
- Fans were impressed with how he chose to handle the situation on Saturday
Novak Djokovic was photographed wearing a helmet while signing autographs at the Italian Open as he prioritized safety following Friday’s accident.
The world number one began his bid for a seventh title with a comfortable 6-3, 6-1 victory over Frenchman Corentin Moutet on Friday.
Djokovic was leaving Center Court and signing autographs for the crowd when a water bottle fell from the stands and hit him in the head.
The Serbian player was left curled up in agony on the floor after the incident, and there were reports that he was bleeding slightly but was able to continue in the tournament.
Despite initial concerns about the incident, Djokovic clearly understood the strange side when he returned to the Foro Italico for Saturday’s training session with a new approach to safety.
Novak Djokovic wore a cycling helmet while signing autographs for fans at the Italian Open
The world number one was hit by a water bottle after defeating Corentin Moutet on Friday night.
The 36-year-old wore a cycling helmet as a sign to the fans, much to the delight of supporters in attendance.
One fan wrote on social media: “Wow, some people may hate him but you can’t deny he’s hilarious.”
Another added: “You’re hilarious Novak!!!” Nice to see you smiling and in good spirits.”
Another fan wrote: “After the incident I said to myself, ‘It would be great PR if he showed up tomorrow wearing a helmet.'” He can be really lovely sometimes.”
A fourth fan agreed: “I love how he handles situations with a sense of humor.” How can I not love this person?”
Social media users initially questioned whether the missile was intentionally thrown at Djokovic on Friday, and were unsure where it came from as the first footage circulated online.
But from another angle, footage shows a fan falling from the backpack of a fan who was bending down to get an autograph from the Serbian star and hitting him directly on the top of the head with a water bottle.
The person who fell from the rucksack appeared shocked and quickly righted himself and moved away from the edge of the tunnel to prevent further accidents.
Supporters praised Djokovic on social media for using humor to handle the situation.
Staff immediately behind Djokovic responded, and tournament organizers later issued a statement emphasizing that the incident was indeed an accident and that Djokovic was recovering well.
A statement from Internazionali BNL d’Italia said: “Novak Djokovic was leaving the central court after the match and was signing autographs for the audience when he was accidentally hit on the head by a water bottle.”
“He has received appropriate medication and has already left the Foro Italico to return to his hotel. His condition is not cause for concern.”
Djokovic himself later expressed his gratitude to the well-wishers on social media and stressed that he intends to continue playing in tournaments.
“Thank you for your messages of concern,” he wrote. “This was an accident, so you can rest at the hotel with an ice pack. I’ll see you on Sunday.”