Novak Djokovic’s wife Jelena has dismissed suggestions that there is anything “dodgy” with the 21-time Grand Slam winner’s controversial drinks preparation.
Heated debates erupted on social media over the weekend after a video of Djokovic’s physio Ulises Badio mixing his drinks at the Paris Masters started doing the round.
Badio starts preparing a drink while in the stands, but he then gets shielded by a couple of people sitting next to him before the bottle is handed to a ball girl to give to Djokovic.
Jelena played down suggestions that they were doing anything wrong in a reply to a post on Twitter.
“I don’t see anything dodgy. In fact, I see people trying to be private about their business in a world where everyone feels like they have every right to point camera at you whenever they want,” she wrote.
“Apparently, wanting/trying to be private makes you dodgy nowadays.”
No. Not at all. I just asked why there was such need for secrecy regarding the contents of the drink, and said it looked dodgy. Because it does look dodgy – which is why so many people have watched the video. Can you not see that?
— Damian Reilly (@DamianReilly) November 8, 2022
Former world No 1 Djokovic was seen inhaling a powder at Wimbledon earlier this year and he joked that it was a “magic potion”, later adding: “It’s going to come out as one of the supplement, let’s say, lines that I’m doing right now with drink and few other things.”
Several sports doctors and commentators have stated that is likely just a special blend mixed to Djokovic’s taste or they could simply be shielding a sponsor.
One fan stated that it is up to Djokovic to clear up the controversy, stating: “it is all on Novak. He allows them to create these unnecessary controversies. Why wouldn’t he just address it when he was asked about it the previous time? instead he called it a magic potion
“Please hire a PR agency i beg you.”
However, his wife hit back with the constant requests for sports stars to “explain themselves”.
“He will talk when he is ready to talk. This whole nonsense about making people speak about something they are not ready because OTHERS are unpatient is absurd,” she said. “Sit a bit in silence. Mind yourself more. Not everything you see is controversial. It could be private. Is that allowed?”