Twitter in splits as stunned Novak Djokovic bows down to Steve Smith's tennis chops at Australian Open
There's no greater reward for the sporting fraternity than seeing its biggest superstars come together for a good cause. The crowd at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday was treated to a hilarious charity event involving Novak Djokovic and Steve Smith, with the duo indulging in cricket and tennis battles.
The Australian Open kickstarted the Grand Slam calendar for 2024 with a pioneering four-day charity event to precede the main tournament, bringing together tennis' biggest superstars with the country's greatest sportspersons across disciplines. On Thursday, it was the chance of 10-time and the current defending champion Novak Djokovic to take the court in a showcase entitled 'A Night with Novak and Friends,' one of which was Australian cricketing legend Steve Smith. Two big personalities in the sports world with renowned charisma and character, hilarity inevitably ensued when the two took to the center court together.
Djokovic and Smith got the opportunity to indulge in the other's expertise with both coming out victors, albeit the former's triumph was dictated by an unconventional tactic. Smith first stunned the Serbian with a racquet in hand by successfully returning a typical bullet serve from the World no. 1, leaving Djokovic flustered such that he dropped his own stringed apparatus in disbelief with eyes wide agape before bowing down to the 34-year-old.
It was then Smith's chance to return to the familiarity of his wooden willow and after a wide to begin from Djokovic, he pummelled a full delivery into the crowd before slapping a wide yorker along the ground. When the roles were reversed, Djokovic's wild swing first-off was comprehensively beaten but the 36-year-old asked for another delivery and slyly switched the bat with the tennis racquet at the last second to launch the ball into the stands. Earlier, Djokovic had admitted to playing some beach cricket on the coasts of Australia and doing fairly well and the whole event sparked a flurry of hilarious reactions from Twitterati.
Bow down to the best!
Game respects game!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 11, 2024
(And Novak is just like the rest of us when it comes to Smudge...)@stevesmith49 • @DjokerNole • #AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/ioL8hjVSrF
Serbian Cricket Association
Is it too late to add him to the test squad?! From the sounds of it the selectors are open to trying things out...@DjokerNole • #AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/VAJq2KFShr
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 11, 2024
Well played
Novak Djokovic and Steve Smith playing cricket pic.twitter.com/4r5Ueg5vdT
— Virarsh (@Cheeku218) January 11, 2024
Goat X Goat
Novak Djokovic on Steve Smith ( 🐐x 🐐)pic.twitter.com/e6Bg49vZsQ
— Raghav (@raghavv_01) January 11, 2024
It was fun!
Steve Smith having Some time with Novak Djokovic at the the tennis court.. pic.twitter.com/99K0eJam3b
— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) January 11, 2024
Really?
Steve Smith has decided to retire from Cricket and become a tennis player after getting owned by Mir Hamza and Khurram Shehzad.pic.twitter.com/alxj4evyJA
— Abdullah (@abdullahhammad4) January 11, 2024
Legendary duo!
📽️Legend meets Legend!
— Himanshu Pareek (@Sports_Himanshu) January 11, 2024
Steve Smith and Novak Djokovich playing Tennis together before Australian Open. Djokovich bowed down to Smith after he hit a shot right. pic.twitter.com/xRafWYIZjS
New King!
Novak hits Steve Smith for a six. 🏏
— Bishal (@bishalc004) January 11, 2024
Move over Kohli, we've got a new king of world cricket now 🤭 pic.twitter.com/cxOH4hniQA
True
Imagine a tennis match Virat Kohli vs Steve Smith. Internet will break 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Trok9zc6Jn
— Nikhil Gupta (@Nikhilgupta1104) January 11, 2024
Big w
Man! This wins the day :)
— Mangalam Maloo (@blitzkreigm) January 11, 2024
Steve Smith steps in to play with Djokovic in the #AusOpen!
pic.twitter.com/5m2QQGI8K2