Djokovic withdraws from exhibition but returns to win the match

In one of the more bizarre twists in recent history, Jannik Sinner was forced to pull double duty as he faced both Filip Krajinovic and Novak Djokovic in the same match.

At the A Day at the Drive exhibition event in Adelaide, World No.1 Djokovic was scheduled to face Italian Jannik Sinner in the first match of the day. However, the Serbian announced his sudden withdrawal just before the match and was replaced by compatriot Filip Krajinovic.

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With close to 4,000 fans in attendance, Krajinovic and Sinner put on a hard-hitting display, which ended with Krajinovic grabbing the vital break and claiming the first set 6-3.

Things got interesting in the second set, as defending Australian Open champion Djokovic arrived at the court to cheers from the crowd and began playing mid-way through the second set.

With Sinner leading 3-2, Djokovic tagged in and reeled off four consecutive games in dominant display. The Serbian team defeated Sinner 6-3 6-3, who might have been quite exasperated to play two different opponents in one match. Nonetheless, there were no hard feelings as the exhibition match was used to raise funds for charity.

During his post-match interview, Djokovic revealed that he had developed blisters on his right hand and was unable to initially compete. However, after receiving treatment and being cleared by his medical team, the Serbian returned to action and completed the rest of the match. This was evident as the camera did catch footage of his blistered hand during the changeover.

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#AusOpen on Twitter: ".@filipkrajinovic + @DjokerNole = ✅ The duo from Serbia def. Sinner 6-3 6-3 at #AdelaideTennis. https://t.co/3p0axzyt0T" / Twitter