Novak Djokovic explains after missing a doping test before his quarter-final against Great Britain

A new controversy for Novak Djokovic. The Serbian and his team refused, Thursday, November 24, to submit to an anti-doping test ahead of the quarter-final against Great Britain. “This is the first time this has happened to me in twenty years on the circuit. It makes no sense to do it before when I will be there after the match, justified the recent winner of a seventh Masters on Friday November 24 to the Spanish media Marca. I haven’t completed the check yet, but I have already given a blood sample. They warned me an hour and a half before the match started. I have my pre-match routines and I don’t have to think at that time about donating blood or urine.”

For Arnaud Clément, former world top 10 and consultant for franceinfo: sport, the situation is more than unusual. “Being tested an hour and a half before your match, I’ve never heard that. It’s not to defend it but in general, the checks take place after the matches. I even find it absurd.”

“There must be certain limits”

In order to put an end to the emerging controversy, the Serb wanted to reiterate his respect for the rules. “I have always defended the tests, but not before the matches. There is nothing to hide, but there must be certain limits. They wanted to do it before the match, they explained to me, so as not to encroach on the players’ rest after the match. I explained to them that the winning team rested on Friday”, he clarified. This imbroglio, however, did not disturb Novak Djokovic and his teammates who won the match 2-0. They will face Italy in the semi-final on Saturday.