ATP world number two Novak Djokovic of Serbia explained in an interview with the press service of the Wimbledon tournament why he played in an outfit that violated the rules of the competition.
On July 2, 37-year-old Djokovic outplayed Czech athlete Vit Kopriva (123rd in the world) in the first round of Wimbledon with the score 6:1, 6:2, 6:2. At that match, "Nole" appeared on the court in a gray kneepad, which does not meet the requirements of the organizers of the British Grand Slam tournament. According to the rules, the tennis players' uniform should be entirely white.
I did check. I actually just met the chairwoman just before walking onto the court. She gave me thumbs up, so it was okay. Of course, we did check in the days prior if we have permission. We're trying to find a white one, trust me.
Novak Djokovic
On June 5, L'Equipe reported that the Serbian veteran would miss the Wimbledon tournament due to a meniscus injury in his right knee.On June 18, Djokovic confirmed his participation in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.