
The Wimbledon Championships haven't even started, and Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka have seen enough of each other at the All England Club. The Grand Slam champions practised with each other at Aorangi Park earlier this week, and the Serbian superstar gatecrashed the world No. 1's press conference on Saturday afternoon.
The 24-time Major winner was left waiting to speak with the media and eventually took to the stage alongside Sabalenka, who decided to play interviewer and ask Djokovic the first question. And the world No. 6 had some feedback after their recent practice session, telling her: "You're lacking intensity on the court."
As Sabalenka's press conference was finally wrapping up, Djokovic decided he'd had enough of waiting and entered the room. "Come on. Let's go, please. I've been waiting for you," he joked.
But Sabalenka invited him to join her. "Come on in here. We can talk, chat. They were asking about what we've been chatting about after the hit," she said.
"They asked what we've been chatting after our one-hour hit. First of all, let me ask a question. What do you think about hitting with me? How do you see my level? Am I good?"
Djokovic, playing along with the joke, replied: "Can I be honest? You're lacking intensity on the court. You don't have enough intensity."
The three-time Grand Slam champion quipped: "Really? That's what you are going to say right now?"
But Djokovic kept the banter going. "It's too flat. You've got to lighten up a little bit, put some power in it," he told her.
"Before this guy was my favourite player, but not anymore obviously," Sabalenka laughed.
Before the Belarusian finally left the room, Djokovic asked her to make use of the emcee's microphone and give him a proper introduction, adding: "How would you introduce me on the court, please?"
Sabalenka branded Djokovic "the best player of the world" and the 38-year-old replied: "Thank you. That's a nice way to start a press conference."
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Sabalenka was on top form long before Djokovic entered the room. The world No. 1 - who was forced to miss Wimbledon last year due to a shoulder injury - will start her campaign against qualifier Carson Branstine. And the Canadian has already caught her attention for one specific reason.
"I know that she's super pretty," Sabalenka said of her next opponent. "The other day I opened social media, and she was giving interview. I think she just qualified. I was like, 'Oh, my God, this girl is so beautiful'.
"Then I opened the draw, and I see I'm playing the Canadian girl. I open her profile, and I'm like, 'Oh, this is the beautiful girl'. That's all I know so far.
"I leave that stuff for my team, and for sure we're going to watch her matches. We're going to talk about the tactic and everything. That's all I know.
"It's not easy to face someone you never seen before and, yeah, you never had a chance to see her game. But I'm glad now with the technologies and everything, you can watch as many matches of her as you want. I know that I'll be prepared for her game."
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