‘Journalist’ Djokovic grills Zverev on space exploration as AO presser goes rogue!

Novak Djokovic is an expert at catching his rivals off-guard on court at the Australian Open, but the Serbian did not have a racquet in hand on Friday when he threw a curve ball at Alexander Zverev in Melbourne.

The No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Zverev had just finished his pre-tournament press conference when a late question came in from Djokovic, whose voice emerged from the back of the media room.

“Can I have a question, please?,” said the record 10-time Australian Open champion and 24-time major winner, apparently now also a credentialed journalist at the opening Grand Slam event of 2025. His intervention prompted a jokey response from Zverev.

“Yes, you're going to win your 25th Grand Slam. We're all going to be happy,” said Zverev. “Yay, Novak Djokovic, once again.”

Yet like any good reporter with an editor breathing down their neck, Djokovic stuck to his task in pursuit of the real story at hand. “We know that you love the universe, planetary systems. Can you tell us what attracts you to the space exploration subject?” he asked.

Zverev thought for a moment about the seemingly random question before smiling and delivering a philosophical answer: “Trying to figure out the unknown. Is that a good answer? Trying to figure out the unknown. We believe that we know stuff, but actually we know very little. Learning with the process.”

Djokovic used his follow-up to turn the exchange to Zverev’s tennis, and the German’s pursuit of a maiden major title in Melbourne. Well, sort of…

“Do you think that the answer of winning a Grand Slam lies in space?” asked the former World No. 1 mischievously.

Quick as a flash, Zverev had his retort ready: “I think the answer of winning a Grand Slam is you letting me win one!”