Novak Djokovic ‘plays’ Bizet’s Habanera on viola in surprise string duet

8 August 2024, 15:32

This summer’s 24-time Grand Slam winner and Olympic champion serves up a new talent: playing the viola.

Tennis’ star player is usually busy on the base line of the tennis court. But now, Novak Djokovic has been helping a Bizet bass line, on a viola!

This summer, as he progressed in pursuit of an eighth Wimbledon trophy, the Serbian sporting superstar developed a new celebration after winning matches, holding his tennis racket like a violin, and miming bowing the strings.

The musical gesture was for his six-year-old daughter, who is currently learning the violin. “That was for Tara,” Djokovic said in post-match interviews. “My daughter has been playing violin for some time already, six months, and we agreed that I would celebrate that way.”

After his special musical tribute, Djokovic can be seen blowing a kiss towards his family box – to the delight of his daughter.

A month and an Olympic gold later, violinist-conductor Julian Rachlin and some musical friends were playing a concert to celebrate the athlete’s Paris 2024 win. And it seems racket was swiftly swapped for viola... watch the footage below, shared by Rachlin on 8 August.

Read more: Why is Novak Djokovic playing his racket like a violin to celebrate Wimbledon wins?

Julian Rachlin plays duet with Novak Djokovic

“Last night, [violinist] Sarah McElravy and I played an impromptu concert for the amazing Novak Djokovic to celebrate his Olympic gold medal,” said Rachlin, who is chief conductor of Kristiansand Symfoniorkester, music director of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of Esterhazy.

“And guess what? Novak grabbed Sarah’s viola and ended up playing a little duet with me! Who knew he had such talent?”

Rachlin sounded impressed and concluded in his video caption: “Could we be witnessing the future of Novak Djokovic as a world-class VIOLIST?”

Djokovic has said in interviews that he likes to listen to classical music to unwind. In a 2012 interview he said “[I] listen to classical music because it calms me down – calms my nerves down.”

What a wonderful thing to passing on his love of classical music to his daughter by encouraging her in the violin, as well as giving it a go himself. We wish Tara all the very best in her musical pursuits, and Novak in his!