Aryna Sabalenka crashes Novak Djokovic practice session with cheeky action

Novak Djokovic had to take action after Aryna Sabalenka interrupted his practice session in Indian Wells. The WTA No. 1 started the day with a convincing 6-4 6-1 win over Jaqueline Cristian on Stadium 1, and then headed to the practice courts, where Djokovic was hitting with Stefanos Tsitsipas, his doubles partner this week.

The 27-year-old stole the show as the fans sitting in the stands started cheering her name as she rocked up at the side of the court, watching Djokovic and Tsitsipas in action. As Djokovic was preparing to serve, Sabalenka cheekily made her way into the middle of the court, walking very slowly past the net on his side.

She took her time, stopping in the middle so Djokovic couldn’t see over the net. He responded by jokingly hitting the ball towards her feet. Sabalenka jumped up in jest and then continued her slow walk across the court, finally running away as she got towards the end.

It’s not the first time Sabalenka and Djokovic have interrupted one another. At Wimbledon last year, the 24-time Major champion gatecrashed the Belarusian’s pre-tournament press conference. Djokovic was left waiting for his own media conference while Sabalenka was just wrapping up, and he walked in, joining her on the stage.

“Come on. Let's go, please. I've been waiting for you,” he joked. They had already enjoyed a shared practice session at Aorangi Park earlier that week, and Sabalenka invited the 38-year-old to join her to speak to the press.

She replied: “Come on in here. We can talk, chat. They were asking about what we’ve been chatting about after the hit. 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 kept the banter going and told the four-time Grand Slam winner: “Can I be honest? You're lacking intensity on the court. You don't have enough intensity. It's too flat. You've got to lighten up a little bit, put some power in it.”

Sabalenka finally left, introducing Djokovic as the “best player in the world” before he started taking questions from the room. The world No. 1 has a great relationship with the Serb, and they’ve even enjoyed a double date.

Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, ran into Sabalenka and her now-fiance, Georgios Frangulis, in Athens last October. “Actually, we saw each other on the courts. We were practising. I don't remember. We were just practising together. We were at the same place. He was just like, ‘Yeah, let's go for the date’. That's how it happened. So Novak,” the Belarusian later explained.

Sabalenka is already safely through to the round of 16 in Indian Wells, while Djokovic will hope to join her when he faces Aleksandar Kovacevic on Monday. The ATP No. 3 has also entered the doubles draw with Tsitsipas, and they face third seeds Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo in a tough opening match.