Professional tennis players in Spain are allowed to exercise by themselves or with a coach, but not yet on a tennis court
Tuesday 5 May 2020 09:32, UK
Novak Djokovic has filmed himself back training on court in Spain despite a ban still in place in the country over the use of sports facilities.
Djokovic posted a video on Instagram showing him exchanging shots with another man at a tennis club in the coastal city of Marbella, where the Serb has reportedly stayed.
The 17-time Grand Slam winner wrote: "So happy to play on clay. Well, just for a bit with my phone in the hands."
On Monday, Spain loosened some of the lockdown measures that had been in place since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic, allowing professional athletes to return to practice.
But, sports facilities are supposed to remain closed at least until next week in most parts of the country, with the exception of training centres for teams in professional leagues in sports such as football.
The Spanish tennis federation said in a statement on Monday that professional players in Spain were allowed to exercise by themselves or with a coach, but not yet on a tennis court.
It said it would work on a set of guidelines to inform players and clubs about what they would be permitted to do from the beginning next week.
The federation's statement did not appear to be related to Djokovic's appearance on the court in Marbella.
Djokovic revealed last week he initially struggled to cope with the uncertainty surrounding when tennis can restart but having a daily routine has helped him.
He told Sky in Italy: "For us tennis players it is important that the calendar is clear. Officially it is July 13, many people say it is difficult we will start again on that day.
"For me it is important to have a routine, I cannot keep on waiting for that day. I train every day at the gym, I run at home, I play with my kids and this is also hard work.
"At the beginning I was mentally a bit empty and confused, because (the timing) wasn't clear. I talked with my team, I tried to train every day, even though I didn't follow the preparation strictly."
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