Both padel and pickleball have taken over the recreational sports world in recent years, with people now opting for the easier and more social alternatives to tennis. The professional pickleball tour has also gained momentum, with former tennis stars Jack Sock and Genie Bouchard among those making the switch.

Djokovic is not too happy with that. But on Thursday he will try the American version, pickleball. The world number two is sponsored by the racket brand Head and will appear at one of their pre-US Open events and put tennis players to the test.

Djokovic will be accompanied by ATP number 1 Jannik Sinner and recent Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova. “Have you ever wondered what it’s like to see these legends in action when they play another sport? Don’t miss this chance to see them like never before!” Head wrote on Instagram.

It’s an interesting sponsorship commitment for the Serb, who believes pickleball is contributing to tennis’s declining popularity. The 37-year-old likes to stay involved in the tennis ecosystem – he was previously president of the ATP Players Council, leaving to form his own Professional Tennis Players Association, which campaigns for things like better pay for those lower in the rankings.

And last month during Wimbledon, he attacked padel and pickleball, claiming that those in charge must ensure that tennis remains at the top of the racket sports. “Now we have padel, or padel as it is called in the States, which is growing and developing,” he said.

“People kind of enjoy it and say: yes, but tennis is tennis. Tennis is the king or queen of all racket sports, that’s true. But at the club level, tennis is at risk. If we don’t do anything about it, like I said, globally or collectively, padel, pickleball in the States, all the tennis clubs will switch to padel and pickleball because it’s just more economical.”