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Novak Djokovic is recuperating from a head injury sustained when struck by a water bottle at the Italian Open. The 36-year-old tennis sensation was accidentally hit in the head by a fan's bottle while signing autographs following his victory over France's Corentin Moutet in Rome on Friday, May 10th.
A video posted on X (formerly Twitter) by The Tennis Letter captured the moment as Djokovic was struck on the top of his head by a water bottle that slipped out of a fan's backpack while they leaned over to greet him. Djokovic reacted by clutching his head and falling to the ground before being attended to by a security guard at the Foro Italico, the venue of the Open.
Reports from the BBC indicate that Djokovic remained on the ground for a period before being escorted out of the arena by security personnel, missing the post-match news conference as a result. However, Djokovic later reassured fans of his well-being in a message on X, stating, "Thank you for the messages of concern. This was an accident and I am fine resting at the hotel with an ice pack. See you all on Sunday. #IBI24."
Tournament organizers also issued a statement affirming that Djokovic had been checked after the incident and that his condition was not alarming. According to Sky News, the statement explained that a boy attempting to secure an autograph accidentally dropped the bottle from his bag, and Djokovic underwent necessary examinations before departing for his hotel.
Despite the unfortunate incident, the 24-time Grand Slam champion showed resilience and humor the following day. Djokovic shared a video on Saturday, May 11th, in which he arrived at the tournament wearing a cyclist's helmet, jesting about the incident. "Today I came prepared. #IBI24," he captioned the clip, depicting himself approaching fans while donning the helmet to sign autographs.
Djokovic is scheduled to face Chilean competitor Alejandro Tabilo in the tournament on Sunday, May 12th.
