Djokovic dons helmet in Rome after autograph session mishap

In the second round of the ATP 1000 tournament in Rome, Novak Djokovic defeated Corentin Moutet 6:3, 6:1. After the match, while distributing autographs, the Serbian player was accidentally struck by a bottle. The following day, the world's number one in the ATP ranking showed up on the court... sporting a helmet.

Novak Djokovic kicked off his participation in the second round of the ATP 1000 tournament in Rome as the top-seeded tennis player. The event unfolds in Italy’s capital.

The Serbian's first match was against the comparatively lower-ranked French player, Corentin Moutet. Expectedly, Djokovic was the favourite, and, despite facing some initial struggles in his service games, he lived up to expectations by winning 6:3, 6:1.

While giving out autographs at the end of the match, Djokovic was hit by a bottle and fell to the ground. A video shared by the organizers later clarified that the incident was accidental, caused by a bottle slipping out of a fan's backpack.

"Thank you for all the messages of concern. It was an accident, and I'm alright. Resting at the hotel with an ice pack. See you on Sunday," the Serbian communicated through social media.

Nevertheless, Djokovic was back on the court in Rome by Saturday (May 11) to begin practicing. Despite the mishap, he showed no hesitation in signing autographs again, albeit with a twist...

The Italian portal Ubitennis revealed that Djokovic turned up wearing... a helmet. This gesture was his way of responding to the prior day's incident, certainly bringing a sense of amusement to the audience.

"Djokovic arrived at Foro Italico taking proper precautions (and, as always, with a good sense of humor) following yesterday's incident," - the source noted, accompanying the statement with a video.