"I dressed up like a waiter" - Novak Djokovic reveals how he gave motivational speech to Team Europe at Ryder Cup 2023

Novak Djokovic recently revealed that he gave a motivational speech to Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup by disguising himself as a waiter.

The Ryder Cup took place at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club from September 29 to October 1, 2023. The event saw Team Europe emerge victorious against Team USA, claiming their first title away from home in the past three decades.

Before the main event, Djokovic won the 2023 Ryder Cup All-Star exhibition match. The Serb was joined by the likes of former Real Madrid player, Gareth Bale, actress Kathryn Newton, footballer Andriy Shevchenko, and F1 driver Carlos Sainz and others.

Recently, the 24-time Grand Slam champion revealed to L'Equipe that he and Team Europe's captain, Luke Donald, devised an intricate scheme. Their plan involved Novak Djokovic masquerading himself as a waiter to surprise Team Europe and subsequently giving a motivational speech to the team.

“It was a great honour and a beautiful experience. I had never done that and that is why I accepted. It was still incredible. But wait for the rest. Luke wanted it to be a surprise. But it was more or less known a few days before. The journalists asked me, I told them that I had just come to play," Djokovic said (via the Daily Express).

The World No. 1 also talked about the process he underwent to transform into a waiter. He shared that the elaborate disguise required nearly an hour of preparation. To further conceal his identity, he used pillows on his stomach, effectively altering his appearance to appear heavier and unrecognizable.

"With Luke, we thought up, in my room, my entrance onto the stage. We thought of the idea of a disguise. It took nearly an hour for me to get ready, with six or seven people with make-up artists, a hairdresser, a stylist. I dressed up like a waiter who brings room service, we put pillows on my stomach to make me fatter," he added.

Novak Djokovic revealed that it was golfer Rory McIlroy who first recognized him and once the rest of Team Europe caught on, they applauded him, acknowledging his clever disguise.

“It was Rory McIlroy who first spotted me. He said: ‘Can I have a glass too?’ I re-traced my steps, I took the racket I had brought and started to hit volleys against the wall. Everyone applauded, it is a great surprise!" Novak Djokovic added.

When Novak Djokovic spoke about his performance at the 2023 Ryder Cup celebrity All-Star game: "I think I've played quite well"

2023 Ryder Cup - All-Star Match

Novak Djokovic won the 2023 Ryder Cup All-Star exhibition match, where he had teamed up with G4D Tour (golf for the disabled) star Kirk Popert, and the duo was guided by Colin Montgomerie.

Speaking to the press after the match, the Serb had expressed that his initial intention was to play it safe and be cautious. However, he credited the enthusiastic Italian crowd for inspiring him to play to his full potential on the course.

Novak Djokovic also stated that he executed one of the most remarkable shots of his career and considering his limited experience as a golfer, he expressed immense satisfaction with his performance.

"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," he said.