Novak Djokovic Comically Trolls Stefanos Tsitsipas After His Dubai Triumph

Novak Djokovic Comically Trolls Stefanos Tsitsipas After His Dubai Triumph

Novak Djokovic didn’t waste any time sending a playful jab at his old rival Stefanos Tsitsipas following the Greek star’s impressive win at the Dubai Duty Free Championships.

Tsitsipas, who had been struggling for form in recent months and had dropped out of the ATP Top 10, was back to his brilliant best in Dubai. After a series of unexpected defeats, the 26-year-old admitted that he was struggling with his confidence, leading him to make a change ahead of the tournament—switching to a new racket.

That decision paid off as Tsitsipas played outstandingly throughout the tournament, eventually lifting the trophy after defeating Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 in the final. The victory was particularly significant as it marked the end of an unusual record: Tsitsipas had appeared in 11 ATP 500 finals before but had lost every single one.

Reflecting on the moment, Tsitsipas expressed his joy at breaking the streak of final defeats. Djokovic, always keen to have a bit of fun with his rivals, took to social media to congratulate Tsitsipas in his own unique way. Posting on Instagram, the 24-time Grand Slam champion wrote: “No one beats @stefanostsitsipas98 12x in a row on 500 Tour level. Well done!”

Despite the cheeky tone, Djokovic acknowledged the significance of Tsitsipas’ win, as it marked a massive boost to his career. The victory not only secured Tsitsipas’ first ATP 500 title but also saw him climb back into the Top 10 of the ATP rankings, where he will be ranked No. 9 when the next list is updated.

Tsitsipas spoke about the importance of returning to the Top 10, saying, “These are the things we are fighting for as professional tennis players. To be in the top 10 is definitely one of the greatest feelings a tennis player can experience. It comes with hard work, sacrifices, and difficult moments you have to endure. I’m happy I’m in a position to really celebrate right now.”

Reflecting on his Dubai triumph, Tsitsipas added, “There’s nothing I can say that ensured the win today. It was pure fighting and trying my best to avoid a third final loss. It was nerve-wracking. I had a great opponent on the other side of the net. I’m just proud of how I managed to handle the pressure and perform in those crucial moments.”

“This is something I was fighting for a long time. It’s great that it happened here in Dubai. My game kind of clicked, and things worked well from the beginning. I’m very happy with how things progressed over the week and how I was able to close out some matches that didn’t seem like they belonged to me.”

“I had some crazy fights out here. It’s a big relief that I’m able to hold that trophy finally after my third attempt. It’s something I had in the back of my mind. I’m happy I can say I accomplished it.”