Remember Novak Djokovic playing tennis sitting on the back of a camel? Just last month in Doha, the Serbian went head-to-head with Carlos Alcaraz in a hilarious desert showdown before the Qatar Open earlier this year. Fast forward a month and Novak found himself in yet another out-of-the-box battle, this time in Miami against American star Coco Gauff! The two megastars faced off in a game of pong. And while Coco walked away with the win, she didn’t hold back on the verdict, as she admitted both of them were far from impressive. So, what really went down?
Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff haven’t had the best start to their seasons, both struggling to secure a major title so far. For the ATP ace, it started strong at the AO, but a muscle tear meant he was forced to retire mid-way through his semifinal match against Carlos Alcaraz. And, he’s struggled ever since. An early exit in Qatar to Matteo Berrettini and a shocking BNP Paribas Open 1st round loss to lucky loser Botic Van de Zandschulp have left him searching for form heading into Miami.
Gauff’s journey has been eerily similar to the Serb. After ending 2024 on a high, she kicked off the year with a dominant United Cup performance. But consistency has been elusive for Coco. The third seed fell in the AO quarterfinals to Paula Badosa and suffered surprising losses to Marta Kostyuk in Qatar and McCartney Kessler in Dubai thereafter. Even at Indian Wells, flashes of brilliance weren’t enough, as she bowed out in the R16. However, before heading to Miami, Coco played a lighthearted, unconventional match against Djokovic, perhaps the perfect reset both of them needed before the tournament heated up!
A while back, the official Instagram page of the Miami Open dropped a series of videos featuring the Serbian Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff taking on the Giant Pong Challenge: a sight no tennis fan expected! The post read, “Something we never thought we’d see @djokernole and @cocogauff take on the Giant Pong Challenge .”
The first clip showed Coco laying down the rules to the 24-time GS winner: “Novak, this is Giant Pong, and here’s how it works. Behind the baseline, we each have six giant red party cups to aim for. First to clear all six wins. Any questions?” To which Novak, ever the competitor, responded, “No, I got it! Let’s go.”
The challenge, however, was anything but easy on the center court. Novak jokingly pointed out his disadvantage: “By the way, you’re using your racquet, I am not. I have an excuse. Reading the wind, I think it’ll be a success if we make one today.” The wind quickly became the real opponent, frustrating Coco as she quipped while returning Novak’s serve, “Can we do the moderate format, please?”
Novak, ever the showman, moved the cups closer, saying, “Let’s give ourselves a chance, okay?” before the American hilariously admitted, “We suck.” Despite the chaos, Coco ultimately clinched the win against the Serb, while Novak, borrowing Lorenzo Musetti’s racket after forgetting his own, made a valiant comeback attempt!
Both Coco and Novak have been making the most of their pre-tournament time, keeping things light and refreshing before the Miami Open. Just a day after her BNP Paribas Open exit, Coco celebrated her birthday in style and launched her brand-new signature shoe. Concurrently, Djokovic attended a pre-party for the Miami Open, which included numerous celebrities and athletes, such as fellow tennis professionals Carlos Alcaraz, Matteo Berrettini, Juan Martin del Potro, and Holger Rune, as well as the notable footballer Paul Pogba.
While the off-court fun set the tone, Novak Djokovic will play his first match at the Miami Open today, marking his return to the tournament after missing it since 2019. Coco Gauff, on the other hand, has already kicked off her campaign in dominant fashion, securing her first-ever double bagel—a perfect way to transition from fun to fierce!
“Just need to get three more” – Coco Gauff after beating Sofia Kenin in Miami Open R64
The former US Open winner may have struggled at Indian Wells, bowing out in the R16, but she wasted no time bouncing back in Miami. In a flawless R64 match against Sofia Kenin, the 3rd seed put on a clinic, dropping just 18 points and storming into the third round without losing a single game 6-0, 6-0. However, despite her dominant display, Gauff admitted she was slightly concerned about the lopsided scoreline.
“Honestly, when I was like 3-0, I was like, I kind of wanted to lose a game because I knew I was going to be nervous at 5-0. But once I got that first point, I was like, ‘Okay, maybe I just need to get three more. I wanted it because I don’t know how many times it will happen again, hopefully a little bit more but I feel this is a one or two-time [in my] career type of thing,” Coco said.
It’s no surprise the 21-year-old is thriving in Miami. Having grown up in nearby Delray Beach, these are familiar conditions for Coco and it’s already showing in her performance. “Definitely being in the Florida humidity, the ball doesn’t fly through the air as much and the courts are a little bit more similar to what I practice on. I think it makes a difference when you’re playing in conditions you’re used to. Indian Wells was tough but it’s always like that so it’s no excuses,” she further added.
Coco Gauff will face Maria Sakkari next, whom she only recently beat at the Indian Wells. The Greek holds a 5-4 advantage in their head-to-head record, but they are tied at 2-2 in U.S. events. Can Coco put on another show and advance to the pre-quarterfinals?
The post “We Suck”- Coco Gauff & Novak Djokovic Bring the Party to Miami Open With a Hilarious Tennis Twist appeared first on EssentiallySports.
