Novak Djokovic revealed that he was angry at having to do doping control just 90 minutes prior to taking the court against Great Britain in Thursday night’s Davis Cup quarter final.
The world No 1 became annoyed after the match with a section of GB fans when they interrupted his on court interview by chanting and banging a drum.
He was already tetchy, however, at his preparatory regime being disrupted when World Anti Doping Agency officials paid an unexpected visit just prior to him playing Cam Norrie.
‘I didn’t believe that they could make such a decision, in 20 and more years of my career, it never happened to me that an hour and a half before the match, I needed to go for doping control,’ he told Serbian media.
‘I have my own routine. I don’t need that distraction, to have my urine and blood taken, to think about whether I can give urine at that moment.
Novak Djokovic criticised officials for having him go to doping before a Davis Cup match
Djokovic told Serbian media it was the first time in 20-plus years he had had such a request
‘I didn’t see any reason or logic, but I hope they change such decisions. It’s a shame what they did. They told me that one of the important reasons for that decision was that it would end late, so that they would give us more time to rest.
‘I support testing myself or anyone – a hundred times, no problem, but not before the match.’
Ultimately it did not affect him and he played to his usual standard to see off a game challenge from Norrie, who was beaten 6-4, 6-4 to seal a place in Saturday’s semi-final against Italy.
Tennis has stepped up its anti-doping measures in recent years – although there was a hiatus during the pandemic – and WADA tests are in addition to those carried out by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, which has developed a biological passport system.