25 January 2024 | Tennis Victoria

Consider this. You’re a 17 year old from Ballarat. You’ve had a great 2023 on the tennis court and you hope to play Australian Open Juniors in 2024. While waiting for the Doubles draw to be announced, you are scheduled to have a hit with with World No.11 Casper Ruud. Sadly, the practice gets cancelled. This was the reality for Ballarat teenager Jarrod Joyce.

The disappointment of the cancelled practice with Casper Ruud was short-lived as very soon after; there was a request from another tennis player to have a hit at practice. That player was World No.1 Novak Djokovic.

For his round of 16 match, Novak Djokovic was scheduled to play against Adrian Mannarino. Something that the 35-year-old Frenchman and Jarrod Joyce have in common is that both are left-handed, and this is where Joyce would be the perfect hitting partner for Djokovic.

Jarrod Joyce concentrating on court with Novak Djokovic

For one hour, on Court 16 at the Australian Open, in front of hundreds of tennis (mainly Djokovic) fans, Joyce held his own against the World No.1. There were many cheers from the crowd for the popular Serbian with an occasional shout out for Jarrod and his coach and father Peter Joyce.

“I was just trying to focus on each ball but also take it all in”, said Joyce when asked about the daunting experience.

“I noticed his concentration and determination more than anything. His professionalism, he’s so zoned in all the time. It was stressful, he’s demanding with where he wants the ball but that’s why he’s No.1. It was such a great experience.”

After gaining a wild card for the Australian Open Junior Boy’s Doubles, Jarrod teamed up with fellow Australian Rohan Hazratwala. They faced the 8^th seeds in the first round, going down in a Match tiebreaker 6-1 3-6 (8-10).

Between playing in the Australian Open Juniors, and having a practice session with Novak Djokovic, Australian Open 2024 is one that Jarrod won’t soon forget.

Novak Djokovic and Jarrod Joyce take a break at training.