Novak Djokovic hit one of the shots of the day during a celebrity-filled all-star match at the 2023 Ryder Cup, that had match commentators showering him with praise.
The star-studded all-star match featuring iconic names from the world of sports, music, and cinema served as the official curtain raiser for the 44th edition of matches at the Ryder Cup, which begins on Friday when Team Europe battles the United States at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy.
Djokovic teamed up with G4D Tour (Golf for the disabled Tour) star Kirk Popert and had the honor of kicking off the day's matches for Team Monty. After coming out for the first tee holding a tennis racket as his safety net, Djokovic quickly swapped it for the driver.
He aimed a couple of fake swings to get the crowd crowing before he completed the first tee. The Serb produced a contender for shot of the day that had commentator calling it 'sensational' when he drove the 16th green on par four from a slightly advanced tee.
Prior to the match, it was expected that the 16th hole could prove problematic for players with the par four only extending 352 yards. But the 36-year-old has made a career scouring solutions to problems on tennis courts, and leveraged on that here.
Djokovic earned raucous applause from the fans and mimicked Cristiano Ronaldo's famed 'SIU' celebration. Djokovic later jested to that shot calling it 'sporting greatness' in an interview with Sky Sports.
"I was going to play safe but the crowd made me do it. It was one of the best shots I've ever hit. I've never played golf in front of this many people, so considering my level I think I've played quite well."
The World No. 1 is taking a leave of absence from tennis in order to recover from a grueling summer of hard-court tennis in the United States. Having won titles in Cincinnati and the US Open, Djokovic returned to Europe to steer his country into the Davis Cup Final 8. As a result of the heavy schedule, he decided to skip the entire Asian swing.
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