Cricket sensation Steve Smith showcased his versatile skills on Thursday as he stepped onto the tennis court at Melbourne Park for a friendly match with none other than tennis legend Novak Djokovic.
The exhibition tennis match between the two stars served as a prelude to the Australian Open 2024, set to kick off on January 12.
While Smith is renowned for his cricket prowess, spectators were left astonished when he flawlessly returned one of Djokovic's serves on the Centre Court.
Even the seasoned tennis champion himself was taken aback, expressing his admiration by bowing down to the former Australia cricket captain amid resounding applause from the enthusiastic crowd.
The duo later swapped their tennis racquets for a bat and ball to play cricket on the court.
Djokovic to start Aus Open against qualifier
As the defending champion, Djokovic is gearing up for his opening match against a qualifier or lucky loser, with a potential face-off against Australian contenders Marc Polmans or Alexei Popyrin in the subsequent round.
Djokovic, having secured three major victories in the previous season, boasts a record-breaking total of 24 major titles and enters the Australian Open on a remarkable 28-match winning streak at the season's inaugural major.
Smith to open in Tests vs WI for Aus
Meanwhile, Steve Smith is preparing for the upcoming home Test series against the West Indies, set to commence on January 17.
In a notable change, Smith is slated to open the innings for Australia in the Test format, partnering with Usman Khawaja. This strategic move follows the retirement of David Warner from Test cricket earlier this month.
The cricket world is eagerly anticipating Smith's debut at the top of the order as he adapts to this new role in the upcoming series.
