Djokovic takes up Murray’s ‘100-volley’ challenge

As sportspersons have been forced to stay indoors due to coronavirus outbreak, tennis stars have been coming with various exciting challenges to keep themselves engaged and provide entertainment to fans.

Recently, former World No. 1 Andy Murray challenged his fellow players and fans to hit 100 volleys back and forth with a partner in the confines of their homes or backyards while staying home during the coronavirus pandemic.

“A challenge to all tennis players and fans... The 100-volley challenge. There was no bickering during the filming of the video, although I think the last volley was aimed at my head... I can’t be the only one that wants to see Rog and Mirka hitting a few balls together...,” tweeted Murray on Thursday.

And now, current World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, have answered the call. “Idemooo the 100-volley challenge was too easy for Jelena. haha bravoo. Thanks for the fun nomination Kim and Andy Murray! Keep the challenges coming!!!” Djokovic tweeted alongwith the video of him taking up the challenge.

Murray’s elder brother, former doubles World No. 1 Jamie Murray, also couldn’t pass up the opportunity and took the challenge.

“We beat you at Monopoly, we’re never going to beat you at tennis,” Murray said.

Last week, Swiss Maestro Roger Federer had posted a video of himself volleying, while slamming the ball on the wall.

The 38-year-old Swiss, who has been exploring new ways to embrace tennis at home, found a fun method at the wall where he’d previously put on a trick-shot show on ice. In the video, he stood just inches from the wall and hit rapid fire forehand volleys.  Federer was already hitting volleys when the video began and he was still doing so when the video ended. The shots that he hit against the wall were too quick to count, but he hit about 200 consecutive volleys in one minute without moving his feet. Federer had tagged the likes of Virat Kohli, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Alexander Zverev, Coco Gauff, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Brady, Bill Gates and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in his post.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion previously had posted clips of himself hitting against a wall in the snow, including around-the-back or through-the-leg-tweener trick shots.

Leander Paes went one step ahead and came up with a ‘Frying Pan’ challenge, which his former doubles’ partner Mahesh Bhupathi also took.

The ATP and WTA Tours have been suspended since early last month and are not scheduled to return until July 13. The Wimbledon Championships, for the first time since World War II, has been cancelled while the French Open has been postponed to September. Recently, Wimbledon tweeted a video montage featuring clips from previous editions of the grass court Grand Slam with Federer providing narration. Federer urges fans to support the medical workers who are currently in the frontline of the global fight against coronavirus.

Agencies