In what can only be described as a lighthearted moment amidst a crushing defeat, Matthew Ebden found a way to entertain the crowd while being dismantled by Novak Djokovic in the first round of the Paris Olympics.
Having not played a singles match in two years, Ebden returned to the court to face the world No. 1 after focusing solely on doubles for the past couple of years. The outcome was predictable, with Djokovic delivering a ruthless 6-0, 6-1 victory over the Australian.
Despite falling behind 0-8 in the match and facing the possibility of a double bagel, Ebden decided to inject some humor into the situation. Approaching someone in the crowd, he jokingly asked if they wanted to take his place on the court. The spectators loved the light-hearted moment during an otherwise one-sided affair.
After managing to hold his service game and get on the scoreboard, Ebden’s efforts were quickly eclipsed by Djokovic’s dominance. The Serb swiftly closed out the match, leaving Ebden with little to do but accept the defeat with good humor.
Following the match, Djokovic approached Ebden at the net and offered a humorous apology for the one-sided contest. The exchange between the two players added a touch of levity to what was a challenging day for the Australian.
Upon learning of his first-round matchup against Djokovic, Ebden also faced the prospect of potentially meeting Rafael Nadal in the next round if he somehow managed to upset the Serb. Despite the daunting task ahead, Ebden approached the match with a positive attitude and found a way to entertain the crowd even in defeat.
