Djokovic shares fun picture of him sumo wrestling, commends wrestlers

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, on his Instagram, shared a post where he is seen sumo-wrestling. Alongside what looks like a fun story that he’s trying to tell, Djokovic, referring to the sumo wrestlers, said he was experiencing what it feels like to be there with the warriors. In his post, he also explained the significance of the sport in Japan.

Novak's wrestling experience

He also shared the calorie intake of the wrestlers and added that he doubts if he would ever be able to match that requirement. He also added that he was able to move the guy that he wrestled against ‘by an inch’. Furthermore, he also recalled his sumo wrestling experiences with his father and brothers during his childhood. He also recalled following one of the wrestlers diligently and while adding a fun element to the memory, he asked, rather rhetorically, if he could meet him now and show him how big Novak has become.

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Trying wrestling moves

The tennis player, while in Japan for the  Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships, got an opportunity to watch retired professional sumo wrestlers while they were busy with their morning practice. He also went on to learn and practice some of their moves himself.

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Talking to a portal, Novak jokingly said that he feels that he is short of some kilos and that once he covers that gap, he thinks he would be ready to compete. He also said that he was impressed o see the flexibility of the wrestlers and mentioned that he did not think it would be easy for them considering their weight. He further appreciated them for paying attention to their joint mobility. The player further joked and said that he is not going to have the wrestling encounter with the opponents on the court since it is a one-on-one sport.

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Djokovic is currently preparing for the ATP 500 tournament. On Monday, he partnered with Filip Krajinovic in the doubles against Croat Mate Pavic and Brazilian Bruno Soares. In the singles draw, the number one seed's first opponent is Australian player Alexei Popyrin. Djokovic, who returned to the court after a shoulder injury, suffered a doubles defeat at the Japan Open on Monday. However, he was able to prove his recovery is on track. 

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