"Idol! Please don't go!" - Novak Djokovic crashes Zheng Qinwen's press conference at United Cup, prompts hilarious response from Chinese

Novak Djokovic crashed Zheng Qinwen's press conference at United Cup 2024 in Perth in a hilarious moment between the two players.

Qinwen led China to their first Group E victory with her formidable performance against the Czech Republic on Saturday, December 30, at the RAC Arena in Perth. She defeated the reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the women's singles tie following her compatriot Zhang Zhizhen's win against Jiri Lehecka.

The Chinese duo later paired up against Vondrousova and Lehecka for a mixed doubles duel and prevailed to secure a 3-0 victory for China. The Asian team is set for a showdown against Novak Djokovic-led Serbia on Sunday, December 31, next.

Ahead of their encounter, the Serb shared a lighthearted moment with Qinwen as he crashed her press conference on Saturday. Qinwen couldn't stop beaming after seeing him wave at her from the doorway.

As soon as the 24-time Grand Slam champion left the room, Qinwen hastily shouted to stop him for an autograph, invoking laughter from everyone including Zhizhen.

"Idol! Please don't go! I haven't got your signature yet," she said laughing.

Djokovic is joined by compatriots Hamad Medjedovic, Nikola Cacic, Olga Danilovic, Natalia Stevanovic, and Dejana Radanovic for Serbia's United Cup 2024 campaign in Perth, Australia.

---

Novak Djokovic: "China has seen more success in women's tennis, the sport's growth in the country needs to have male players breaking into the top ranks"

Australia Tennis United Cup

Novak Djokovic recently commented on the growth of men's tennis in China with the rise of players like Zhizhen Zhang and Wu Yibing.

Prior to his debut at the 2024 United Cup, Djokovic was seen in action at the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup in Saudi Arabia. The Serb lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the event.

Speaking to the media at the Riyadh event, the 36-year-old discussed China's rise in tennis, particularly in the men's game.

"The rise of male players like Zhang and Wu is vital for tennis in China, and in the men's side, having players that are breaking to the top 100 and top 50 in the world and trying to reach the greatest heights and compete for the greatest prices in tournaments in the sport is inspiring for the sport's growth," he said (via China Daily).

Djokovic acknowledged China's already burgeoning women's tennis scene and hoped to see them break through in the men's division as well.

"China has seen more success in women's tennis. The sport's growth in the country needs to have male players breaking into the top ranks," the Serb added.

Zhizhen currently occupies the 58th spot in the ATP rankings while Yibing is the World No. 121.

The 36-year-old also lamented not traveling to China since 2019. The World No. 1 most recently opted out of Shanghai Masters 2023 held in October.

"I haven't been to China since 2019, and I miss the fantastic times and success I've had in both Beijing and Shanghai, I'm really looking forward to being back. The support and love from my Chinese fans have always been overwhelming," he said.