Posted on 09/16/2023 2:10:42 PM PDT by nickcarraway
WORLD number one tennis player, Novak Djokovic surprised everyone yesterday with his command of the Spanish language.
On Thursday, September 14, in Valencia, during the Davis Cup finals qualifiers, Djokovic took the spotlight not just for his tennis skills but for his attempt to converse in Spanish. The Serbian tennis star, known for his love of languages, confidently responded to the press in Spanish. He even paused the press conference to jot down a Spanish phrase, drawing laughter from the audience, according to 20 Minutos.
A New Phrase For Djokovic
‘What word is used to say I miss in Spanish?’ Djokovic inquired of the journalists. After they promptly clarified this for him he continued: ‘Echar de menos, ok, one second,’ Djokovic remarked, taking a moment to save the phrase on his mobile. He amusingly labelled the expression as ‘very difficult’, eliciting laughter from those in attendance.
But Djokovic’s Spanish lesson didn’t end there. He showcased his impressive linguistic skills further by addressing the criticism directed at his formidable opponent, Carlos Alcaraz. The young player faced backlash for announcing his absence from the tournament due to exhaustion from recent matches.
‘I always protect the players in situations like Alcaraz. Perhaps you’re upset he’s not here, given he’s 20 and I’m 36. How can he be more tired? He already played last year, after winning the US Open. That shows passion for his country.
‘I know he loves representing Spain and I’m sure he’s going to win the Davis Cup with his national team. Don’t be angry with him. I myself have not played this tournament for many years, and the reaction in my country has been bad,’ Djokovic said sportingly.
Djokovic Gives Message Of Hope For Spain ‘It’s difficult to always be perfect, to always be available. It’s an individual sport, and you represent yourself, but also your country. Just because I’m 20 doesn’t mean I’m a superman. It’s better for us that he’s not here (laughs), but he’ll be back and he’ll give Spain a lot of joy,’ he concluded.
In addition to being a phenomenal tennis player, he is also very educated.
Indeed. Speaks French too.
Rafa who?
Circa 1971 I worked in Venezuela on the oil field rigs. I was a drilling fluids tech then without a degree but those came later. I was good at my job and could speak passable Spanish due to being raised on the Mexican border and those kids were my playmates. My company sent me on jobs for the national company PVD as I could speak passable Spanish. They sent the others to work on the American Rigs as they could not. This skill paid me well.
Years later as a consultant I did a job in Bolivia. I spent a few weeks on a drilling rig in the Tarija State. I spoke not one word of English, my Spanish was pretty good by then, until back on the plane home. That skill made me a lot of money.
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