PARIS – Novak Djokovic traded his racket for a bicycle and swapped the French Open's clay courts for the cobblestone streets of Paris during a nighttime trip around the Arc de Triomphe.
“I have done some bike rides in the past in Paris, but I haven’t done one in a while,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion said after his second-round victory over Corentin Moutet in the tournament on Thursday. “Roland-Garros was kind enough to gift me a bicycle, so I used it yesterday for the first time.”
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Less than 24 hours before that match — in which he needed a medical timeout for treatment of a blister on his big left toe — Djokovic was spotted taking in the sights like a tourist while getting some exercise.
Someone filmed Djokovic and posted a short clip on social media.
Wearing a dark blue track suit, sneakers and a properly fastened helmet — safety first! — the 38-year-old Serbian star pedaled through the famously hectic roundabout at one end of the Champs-Élysées.
Not exactly the most bike-friendly spot in the City of Light, but Djokovic looked perfectly at ease.
“We were kind of trying our luck a little bit with that roundabout at the Arc de Triomphe. To be honest, at one point, we had cars all over the place. It was quite an adrenaline experience, but I don’t think I will repeat that, especially in that environment where we were filmed,” he said. “Probably in all other streets, it’s much more safe. But, yeah, we were crazy enough to get into that roundabout. It was fun but at one point but also a bit dangerous.”
Someone called out, “I love you!” and Djokovic responded with a grin and said, “I love you, too.”
He just won his 100th career title and now his aiming for his record 25th at a major tournament.
“It’s great to see Paris from the bicycle. I think it’s just more fun. You’re not stuck in traffic. With the car, at times, it can be frustrating for whatever reason," Djokovic said. "But with the bicycle, it’s just beautiful.”
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Associated Press Writer Tom Nouvian contributed to this report.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis