"He's in his retirement mood, doesn't care anymore" - Novak Djokovic's spontaneous dance break during Cincinnati Masters training amuses tennis fans

Tennis fans couldn't contain their delight at Novak Djokovic indulging in a playful dance break while gearing up for the 2023 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.

After being barred from competing in the US last year due to his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine, which conflicted with the country's travel policy, Djokovic will make his return to the North American tour in Cincinnati. Having previously won the tournament in 2018 and 2020, the Serb will be on the hunt for his third title and a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 title overall.

In the lead-up to the event, Djokovic shared a training montage on social media. With his stylish new beard on display, the 23-time Grand Slam champion was captured putting in rigorous training on the court. In the midst of his practice session, the 36-year-old indulged in a spontaneous dance break, showing off his impressive moves.

"Preparations ✔️ off to @cincytennis 🎾 💪 ," the Serb captioned his Instagram post.

A fan reshared the clip on social media, sarcastically quipping that the 2023 Wimbledon runner-up looked "distraught" over his defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

"Novak looking very distraught over his Wimbledon loss," the fan tweeted with laughing emojis.

Another fan jokingly argued that the Serb had entered "retirement mode" and was no longer concerned about the loss.

"Nah, he's just in his retirement mood. He doesn't care anymore," another fan commented.

A user joked about Djokovic's apparent lack of concern regarding the draw awaiting him in Cincinnati.

"He's not worried about his draw in Cincy, lol," the user posted.

Other fans poked fun at the World No. 2's new beard style.

"He just like me looking homeless with the beard," a fan commented.

"Ok this has gone way too far. Shave, motherf*%ker," another fan chimed in.

Here are a few more fan reactions:

Novak Djokovic awaits the winner of Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Tomas Martin Etcheverry in Cincinnati Masters 2R

The Serb won the Western & Southern Open in 2020

Following a bye in the first round, Novak Djokovic will take on the winner of the match between Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the second round.

The Serb leads 2-1 in his head-to-head against Davidovich Fokina, having won their most recent clash at the 2023 French Open in straight sets. He also enjoys a 1-0 head-to-head record over Etcheverry.

Should Djokovic make his way through the early rounds unscathed, he could set up a thrilling quarterfinal clash against Jannik Sinner. Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune are seeded as the Serb's potential semifinal opponents.

About the author

Urvi is a journalist who covers tennis at Sportskeeda. She started playing tennis herself at age six when her favorite women’s player Maria Sharapova won the 2006 US Open. Over the years, her passion for the sport has grown, and so has her skill in analyzing and reporting it. Holding a Masters Degree in Literature has definitely helped in this.

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Edited by Parag Jain