Novak Djokovic, the world No 1 in tennis, experienced a moment of distress on Friday night as he was struck by a water bottle while signing autographs following his second-round victory at the Italian Open over Corentin Moutet. The incident occurred as Djokovic was heading for the exit after signing a cap and a sheet of paper.

As Djokovic made his way out, a metal bottle unexpectedly fell onto his head, causing him to fall to the floor in apparent pain. The Serbian tennis star remained on the ground for more than 30 seconds before being helped up by ground staff. Initially, there were concerns that the bottle may have been intentionally thrown, but video footage revealed that it had slipped out of a spectator's backpack as they tried to gain Djokovic's attention.

Thankfully, further footage confirms that Djokovic is fine after the incident. The tournament issued a statement stating that he was hit on the head with a water bottle while signing autographs. Djokovic's post-match press conference was canceled as a result.

Having won the Italian Open six times before, Djokovic was using the tournament as his final warm-up event before competing in the prestigious Roland Garros in Paris. With the injury scare behind him, Djokovic is set to face Chile's Alejandro Tabilo in the third round on Sunday, aiming to clinch his first Grand Slam title of the year.

The incident serves as a reminder of the potential hazards that athletes face, even during routine post-match interactions with fans. Despite the accident, Djokovic remains determined to push forward and continue his pursuit of tennis greatness.