Last November, tennis superstar Novak Djokovic faced an odd controversy when his physiotherapist, Ulises Badio, was seen adding a mysterious substance to his water bottle during the Paris Masters semifinal against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Social media was flooded with speculation, only to be dismissed as "nonsense" and "absurd" by Djokovic's wife, Jelena, who called for privacy.
Flash forward to the recent US Open, rising tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz found himself in a similar situation. During his fourth-round match against Britain's Dan Evans, Alcaraz was handed a small jar containing a pill by a ball kid, apparently sent from his team. The incident took place in the second set, and commentators humorously referred to it as Alcaraz's "secret stuff."
Social Media Points Out Media Hypocrisy
Djokovic's fans took to social media to highlight what they see as a double standard in media coverage, questioning why Alcaraz's incident wasn't met with the same scrutiny as Djokovic's last year during the Paris Masters.
Upcoming Matches for Alcaraz and Djokovic at the US Open
Alcaraz clinched a victory against Dan Evans with scores of 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, progressing to the round of 16. He will face off against Italy's World No. 61 Matteo Arnaldi on Monday for a spot in the quarterfinals. Arnaldi defeated 16th seed Cameron Norrie in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.
As for Djokovic, he also advanced to the quarterfinals after a straight-set win against Croatia's Borna Bojo. Next, he will take on American No. 9 seed Taylor Fritz on Tuesday, aiming to maintain his unbeaten 7-0 record against the Atlanta champion.
Stay tuned for more updates on these unfolding tennis dramas and the continued journey of these athletes in the US Open 2023.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
Gautam Gambhir picks India's World Cup squad, leaves out Shardul Thakur, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma
Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli and Ishan Kishan caught napping as India drop 3 catches in first 26 balls of Nepal clash
(Powered by AI)
