Novak Djokovic goes surfing with daughter Tara in fun bonding session during Australian Open

Novak Djokovic put tennis aside as he headed off for a fun surfing session with his daughter Tara. The 24-time Grand Slam winner is set to begin his bid for an 11th title against the Grand Slam debutant Nishesh Basavareddy on Monday, January 13.

Amid this, a picture of the Serb enjoying a surfing session has emerged online. In the picture, Novak Djokovic, wearing a relaxed-looking t-shirt and shorts, can be seen helping his daughter Tara balance on a surfing board. Notably, surfing is a major part of the Australian coastal lifestyle.

After an underwhelming 2024 season where he failed to win any ATP title, the Serb has vowed to prioritize Grand Slams as well as enter more tournaments. In last year's Australian Open, Djokovic went out to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals.

The Serb has bolstered his camp by adding long-time rival and former World No. 1 Andy Murray as his coach. The three-time Grand Slam winner retired at the end of the Olympics last year. Murray has joined the Serb's camp in Melbourne and admitted that making the transition to coaching has been challenging. He asserted that if Novak Djokovic could defeat the favorites, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, he could have a fair shot at being called the 'best athlete of all time'.

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Novak Djokovic suggested he may have been poisoned in Australia in 2022

Djokovic was not allowed to participate in the 2022 Australian Open as he did not take the COVID-19 vaccine - Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic was deported from Australia in 2022 when he turned up to participate without getting inoculated against the COVID-19 virus. Three years later, the Serb has suggested that he may have been poisoned while he was quarantined in a hotel and awaiting the results of his trial.

Speaking to GQ Sports in an interview last week, Djokovic said:

"I had some health issues. And I realized that in that hotel in Melbourne I was fed with some food that poisoned me. I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discoveries that I was, I had a really high level of heavy metal. Heavy metal. I had the lead, very high level of lead and mercury."

Despite being allowed to practice in Melbourne, Djokovic's visa was revoked and he was eventually deported from Australia.

The 37-year-old will enter the tournament as the 7th seed and faces an uphill task for his 11th Slam Down Under. If the seedings hold up, he will face Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, Alexander Zverev in the last four, and Jannik Sinner in the final.