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Forbes
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Wimbledon Is Heating Up For The Finals But Player Welfare Is A Concern
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 01: Novak Djokovic of Serbia wipes his face during a change over against ... More Alexandre Muller of France during the Gentlemen's Singles first round match on day two of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 01, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by) When Novak Djokovic performed the unintentional splits against Flavio Cobolli on match point in his Wimbledon quarterfinal, the All England Club executives must have been wincing as the crowd held their breath. Last man standing needs an opponent along the way to make tennis work. Retirements and injuries blunt the purity of one-on-one competition. The world's stretchiest tennis player managed to get up as if nothing had happened while Cobolli politely gave Djokovic his racket back. Player welfare can be between buddies too as well from the authorities. The second week of Wimbledon is what former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson might refer to as 'squeaky bum time.' Djokovic ended up flat on his stomach on Wednesday, a part of the body that he has been stretching and tending to in the last few matches. As the SW19 schedule moves inexorably towards the endgame, the pressure is cranked up in mind and body. Semifinals and finals at Wimbledon will be played in more than 30 degree heat. Within six games of the Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova clash, the former was providing water for a distressed fan at courtside. The scene was reminiscent of Carlos Alcaraz doing the same during his marathon tussle with Fabio Fognini on the hottest opening day ever at Wimbledon. When Iga Swiatek was 3-0 up during her cool destruction of Belinda Bencic, another spectator had to be carried off court by paramedics. 'Wimbledon was never designed to be played in 90 degree heat, and climate change is only exacerbating that stress on athletes,' says Robert Boland, Sports Law Attorney at Shumacher and a former player agent. 'The physical demands of tennis have quietly escalated over the years while the financial stakes have skyrocketed. The prize money and sponsorship opportunities attached the top tournaments are so lucrative that organizers have been incentivized to expand the format adding more matches, more rounds, with more risk to the players.' Seven of the nine ATP Masters have turned into 'mini Grand Slams' played over a fortnight, together with six of the 10 WTA 1000s. 'Now we essentially don't have four Grand Slams - we have maybe 12,' said Djokovic. Wimbledon finalist Swiatek has been vocal about the schedule, calling it too 'intense' on the eve of the Championships. Alcaraz has said that the calendar is 'killing" players. Wimbledon permits a 10-minute break when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) is at or above 30.1 degrees and can be implemented on player request after the second set for all best of three set matches, and after the third for all best of five set matches. The reading is a combination of air temperature, humidity and surface temperature and is measured by a heat stress monitor. The U.S. Open has a similar policy and the Australian Open implements an Extreme Heat Policy. In 2014, temperatures in Melbourne reached well over 40 as players suffered, collapsed and complained. On the first Monday, two former Grand Slam finalists, Ons Jaber and Stefanos Tsitsipas, retired in temperatures soaring towards 32. Tsistipas sounded like a broken man physically. "I'm battling many wars these days. It's really painful to see myself in a situation like this," said the Greek. Jordan Thompson complained of being 'soe very day' before pulling out of his match against Taylor Fritz when 6-1 and 3-0 down. The physical nature of a 14-day Slam is beginning to show. Jannik Sinner is in the wars after 'beating' Grigor Dimitrov. The Bulgarian was playing like a dream, but had retired from his previous four Slams. Dimitrov is damaged goods. As it turned out, he pulled a chest muscle and had to cede to the Italian when two sets to the good. That was a result for the tournament, albeit one where due respect to the injured had to be given. Sinner himself called the trainer out after falling on his elbow and wore protective padding against Ben Shelton. He needed it after one Shelton shell reverberated off his racket. It's like a field hospital out there. The Djokovic and Sinner semi has some smouldering health concerns to say the least. Tennis has had its fair share of blowback on the issue of player health and wellbeing. Recently, the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), a breakaway players' organization co-founded by Novak Djokovic, landed legal documents in London, New York and Brussels accusing the main tennis tours, the ATP, WTA and the ITF of acting like a cartel. Submissions argued there was a 'blatant disregard for player welfare' and that they deserve better working conditions. LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 09: Jannik Sinner of Italy gets an injury in the Men's Singles quarter finals ... More match against Daniil Medvedev during day nine of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 09, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by) "Talk of a truer players' union, something tennis still lacks, might be the only way to create real balance between the commercial pressures of the sport and the long-term health of the athletes. But that kind of structural change won't come quickly," said Boland. Rafael Nadal famously withdrew from his Wimbledon semifinal with Nick Kyrgios in 2022 with an abdominal tear. He had suffered during his 2022 quarterfinal tussle with Taylor Fritz. It was epic, gladiatorial five-star entertainment with Nadal performing the wounded Russell Crowe act to perfection. Unfortunately, it left fans who had paid a minimum of £200 per ticket with only one semifinal singles match to watch. AELTC took the step of providing refunds while counting the cost of having no sequel to Cameron Norrie's ultimately fruitless fight to get past Djokovic. In his recent Wimbledon Theatre show just before the Championships, Kyrgios described tennis as a 'non-combat sport'. Yet the very physical nature of the tour and the pounding of different surfaces is taking its toll. 'You have to enjoy suffering,' Carlos Alcaraz once said. It's an unwritten rule.
The Independent
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
When is Novak Djokovic playing his quarter-final match at Wimbledon?
The 2025 Championships at Wimbledon are in full swing at the All England Club, where there have already been a number of eye-catching results thanks to an interesting opening week. Yet Novak Djokovic, a seven-time champion, has largely avoided drama in storming into the quarter-finals. Although the Serb suffered from some stomach issues in his first-round tie with Alexandre Muller, he came through that test, before looking imperious in dismissing British hope Dan Evans. Djokovic was again in sparkling form as he saw off compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic, and those results took him to the second week in SW19, where Alex de Minaur awaited. Again, Djokovic was seen clutching his stomach throughout, but he bounced back to beat the 11th seed in four frames after losing the first. Who is next for Djokovic, as the quarter-finals arrive? Find out below. When will Novak Djokovic play? Djokovic is next due to play on Wednesday 9 July, as he takes on Flavio Cobolli. The Serb is expected to play the 23-year-old Italian, who is seeded 22nd, on Centre Court. In the fourth round, Cobolli dismissed former runner-up Marin Cilic in four sets. Day nine order of play - Tuesday 8 July Centre Court - 1.30pm Aryna Sabalenka [1] vs Laura Siegemund (GER) Cam Norrie (GBR) vs Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) [2] No. 1 Court - 1.00pm Taylor Fritz (USA) [5] vs Karen Kachanov [17] Amanda Anisimova (USA) vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova How to watch Wimbledon on TV Wimbledon will be shown live on the BBC in the UK, with full coverage of the tournament available to watch on BBC One, BBC Two and across BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website. TNT Sports will air a daily 90-minute highlights show and will also have live coverage of both singles finals. If you're travelling abroad and want to watch Wimbledon, then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get the best VPN deals on the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
First the 'magic potion', now the 'miracle pills'! Novak Djokovic drinks 'pyramid water' from Bosnia and travels with his own electromagnetic field: Inside the tennis icon's weird ways after his first-round recovery at Wimbledon
Novak Djokovic may have been down against Alexandre Muller after the second set of his first-round Wimbledon match, but he was not out. 'I went from feeling my absolutely best for a set and a half to my absolute worst for about 45 minutes,' Djokovic said after winning the clash in four sets to set up a meeting with Dan Evans. 'Whether it was a stomach bug - I don't know what it is, but just struggled with that. 'The energy kind of kicked back after some doctor's miracle pills and I managed to finish the match on a good note.' While the phrase 'miracle pills' might have given some who believe in the Serbian serial champion's tendency towards the dark arts pause, it's unlikely to ring true. On-court doctors are employed by the tournament and nothing they dole out to save a flagging player will trouble WADA. But more often than not, Djokovic has relied on somewhat unusual methods to remain highly competitive at 38 years old. Last year, Djokovic shocked SW19 by returning to Centre Court twenty-six days after undergoing knee surgery. Unorthodox is the word that befits Djokovic and his various beliefs, from pyramid water to a temple that keeps him calm, or the Bosnian mountain he abides by. Marginal gains is what Djokovic is all about and this latest rehabilitation will have been littered with quirky ways to return to fitness. Previously he has shown that he places trust in the healing power of trampolines, the use of meditation to fight off injury, the belief that you can make dirty water clean again with nothing but the strength of your emotions. The list goes on and on. There was the time Djokovic set an alarm on his phone so he would know – to the exact minute – when a year had passed since he last ate a piece of chocolate. Or the time he listened over and over and over to The Beatles and a Serbian rock band called Električni Orgazam to perfect the rhythm of his famed return motion. Or there is the faith he places in the healing power of 'pyramid water'. In a piece on the official Wimbledon website they detail the 'benefits of pyramid water'. Djokovic underwent a rigorous rehab in order to be ready to fight for an eighth Wimbledon 'Novak really appreciates the water from the pyramids. He can see it brings him benefits,' Sam Osmanagic, who announced to the world in 2005 that he had discovered the pyramids, said. 'When Novak comes here, he always gets supplies of the water.' Djokovic swears by it and he has not been quiet about his pilgrimages to the small city of Visoko in Bosnia, in order to 'charge up on the cosmic energy being emitted by the local ancient pyramids'. 'There is truly a miraculous energy here,' Djokovic said in 2018. 'If there is a paradise on Earth, then it's here.' Traditional medicine and routine practices of rehab do not appeal to Djokovic; his psyche and mindset has long been on a different level. Food is a key area for him. Specifically, the 'positive energy' that food can distribute. In his book 'Serve to Win: The 14-Day Gluten-free Plan for Physical and Mental Excellence', the Serbian superstar incredibly detailed how he believes that conversation is influential on the food we eat. In Djokovic's mind, negative conversation could well be harmful to the food, stripping it of its nutrients as well as its taste. During his rehabilitation now, as her has done for many years, Djokovic is positive in affirming his beliefs to his food before he eats. Wild, but it works for him. Djokovic explains: 'I believe that if you are eating with some kind of fear or worry or anger, the taste of the food and the energy you get from it won't be as powerful… What you give is what you get.' He is also obsessive when it comes to chewing, an action that must be focused on entirely. 'As I chew, the process of digestion is already starting,' he wrote. 'The enzymes in my saliva mix with the food, so that when it hits my stomach it's a fully formed piece of 'information.' As well as being informed by mental practices, Djokovic has invested in modern technology, sporting a Taopatch at the 2023 French Open. The patch, affixed to his chest, is a piece of wearable nanotechnology, with administers a version of acupuncture and light therapy. More recently, the star revealed during the Australian Open that he had been given a custom electromagnetic device designed to 'enhance metabolic function'. 'It's (an) energetic disc, (it) creates an electromagnetic field around it and (the) kind of secret is in this pattern,' Djokovic said of his new favourite toy in an interview with GQ. 'And so when you place it on a certain part of your body, place this part (the centre of the disc), for example, if you have stomach issues, which I do have often when I'm nervous, stressed before the match or indigestion issues, that creates heat. 'So then it starts enhancing the metabolic functions or it reduces inflammation in certain part of the body. 'A doctor that I know in Serbia, who is also an engineer, he created this disc for me and I have a bunch of those and I do carry it everywhere. 'When I fly in the plane, I put it on (my) head or somewhere. I shouldn't be having it on the body parts for too long, so like 20-30 minutes it does its work.' More often than not Djokovic is happy to expand on his beliefs, on food, on special water, on not getting vaccinated against Covid, and that was why his 'magic potion' spotted at previous iterations of Wimbledon became so intriguing. His bizarre Wimbledon drink habit became an even bigger story when he refused to reveal what was in the bottle, claiming it is 'magic potion'. 'Magic potion, that is all I can say,' he said, when pressed. His wife Jelena, who boasts quirky views of her own, even took a swipe at her husband's critics when it came to the 'potion' in question. 'This whole nonsense about making people speak about something they aren't ready because others are inpatient is absurd,' she said. 'Sit a bit in silence. Mind yourself more. Not everything you see is controversial. It could be private. Is that allowed?' The 'potion' has since been unveiled as Djokovic's SILA electrolyte supplement, which is available for purchase by the masses and contains, as per the brand itself, 'CoQ10, Vitamins C and B12 for cellular energy', and 'proprietary nanotechnology for maximum absorption'. The front row of his box on Tuesday evening were sporting SILA baseball caps, one assumes for maximum absorption of marketing. Normally in these weeks Djokovic is frequenting a nearby Buddhist temple. The Buddhapadipa Temple, on a leafy suburban street just minutes from the All England Club grounds, has been frequented by the reigning champion in previous years. Djokovic, an Orthodox Christian, once stayed next door to the temple and spent up to an hour a day using its four-acre grounds for meditation and to improve his focus. 'Many years ago he came to stay next door to the temple and every morning he meditated at the temple,' Venerable Piyobhaso, minster of religion at Buddhapdipa, tells Mail Sport. 'He preferred to come in the morning, from 30 minutes up to an hour. Sometimes he spent an hour beside the lake. He became friends with some members. 'Novak is a very friendly person. He always smiled and didn't mind having photos with the temple members. He said that meditation helps with his tennis.' Whatever Djokovic eats, drinks, prays to, believes in works; it works for him anyway. Because at 38 years of age, he is here, at Wimbledon, full of belief an eighth men's singles title is within his grasp.
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Novak Djokovic credits doctor's on-court intervention for stunning Wimbledon turnaround - but dubious tennis fans are all saying the same thing after latest bizarre act
Novak Djokovic has credited a doctor's 'miracle pills' for helping him to battle through an illness during his first round match at Wimbledon on Tuesday night. The Serbian star asked for a doctor to be called to the court shortly after losing the second set of the match to France's Alexandre Muller. Djokovic had appeared visibly unwell and after discussions during a medical time out, was given a tablet by the doctor to ease his symptoms. The seven-time Wimbledon champion was then able to seize control of the match, breaking Muller's impressive resistance. Djokovic won 10 of the final 12 games following his medical time out, ultimately wrapped up a 6-1, 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 6-2 victory. When asked in his on court interview about the illness, Djokovic suggested he may have been suffering from a stomach bug. Djokovic was seen discussing his symptoms with the doctor at the start of the third set Djokovic had credited the doctor's 'miracle pills' for helping him to fight through to the second round. 'I went from feeling my absolutely best for a set and a half to my absolute worst for about 45 minutes,' Djokovic said. 'Whether it was a stomach bug - I don't know what it is, but just struggled with that. 'The energy kind of kicked back after some doctor's miracle pills and I managed to finish the match on a good note.' Despite Djokovic appearing visibly hampered by illness, some fans queried the extent of the issue with the medical time out coming just minutes after losing the second set. 'Textbook Djokovic "I'm not playing great so I'll take a medical timeout even though there's no signs of me being remotely injured" move to make sure he gets the crowd back on side and acting like he's playing on against all the odds,' one fan wrote. 'Every time I watch a Djokovic match that he's losing, or is tight, he calls on the on court doctor,' another added. 'Saw him do it multiple times. Can't have him at all. Medical time outs to halt opponents momentum.' A third added: 'Djokovic in 'shock' loses a set and immediately calls a medical timeout followed by securing a double break. How many times does he do that?' Djokovic's use of 'miracle pills' also generated discussion from fans on social media. '"I think a lot of people would like to know what these doctors miracle pills are" is quite a line to Novak,' one fan wrote, referencing a question by the on court interviewer. 'Djokovic references 'miracle pills from the doctor', which generally happens when things aren't going his way. Everyone laughs. Interviewer jokes about it. Staggering this has been accepted without question for so long,' another fan added. It is not the first time in his long career Djokovic has created debate, after previously claiming he had been drinking a 'magical potion' when asked by journalists in 2022. The questioning followed Djokovic appearing to breathe in the contents of a drink during Wimbledon that year. While some also queried Djokovic's description of 'miracle pills', others defended the Serbian by claiming it was merely a phrase to highlight how it had helped to ease his symptoms. 'He always calls that miracle pills in this case Novak was sick and those pills calmed his stomach pain fast that's why he called it miracle pills,' one fan wrote. Djokovic had also been seen in discussion with the doctor during the next changeover during the match in the third set. The discussion took place while Muller had his own medical timeout due to an apparent calf issue. His pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title will continue against Dan Evans in the second round Djokovic's eventual four set victory saw the 38-year-old, who is targeting a record 25th Grand Slam title, set up a second round encounter with Britain's Dan Evans. Djokovic admitted post-match that Wimbledon represents his best chance of adding to his haul, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner having established themselves as the leading duo in recent Grand Slams. 'I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I have a chance. I think I always have a chance,' Djokovic added. 'I think I earned my right to really feel like I can go all the way to the title'
India Today
02-07-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Wimbledon: After shaky 1st-round win, Novak Djokovic sends strong message to doubters
Novak Djokovic needed four sets to overcome unseeded Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-1, 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-2 in a shaky opening-round match at Wimbledon. The seven-time champion battled a stomach bug and required medical attention on court on Monday, but the Serb managed to get the job done and secure his place in the second edition of Wimbledon hasn't been particularly kind to seeded players. After Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune fell on the opening day, it was French Open champion Coco Gauff who was ousted in the first round on Monday. When Djokovic's rhythm dipped in the second set and he called for medical assistance, there were uneasy faces-mostly Serbian-in the crowd. But Djokovic allayed those fears, found his range, and ensured he wasn't dragged into a Read: Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev make shock first-round exit The Serb needed less than 45 minutes to take the opening set, but required medical intervention in the second. He was seen holding his chest when leading 2-1, before errors began creeping into his game. Djokovic dropped the second set in a tie-break. Shaky at the start of the third, the 24-time Grand Slam champion took two more medical timeouts before regaining control. Muller, for his part, failed to capitalise on Djokovic's vulnerability, conceding a break with a double fault at the start of the third set and never runner-up in the last two editions, claimed his 20th consecutive first-round win at the grass-court Grand Slam. The Serb expressed satisfaction at how he was able to problem-solve midway through the match and navigate the challenging conditions in went from feeling my absolute best for a set and a half to my absolute worst for about 45 minutes," Djokovic said."Whether it was a stomach bug-I struggled with that-but then the energy kicked back after the doctor's miracle pills and I managed to finish the match on a good note."The man is backNovak Djokovic takes down Alexandre Muller 6-1, 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-2 to reach R2 at #Wimbledon Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 1, 2025EARNED THE RIGHT has not won a Grand Slam title since lifting the US Open trophy in 2023. After back-to-back semi-final exits in the season's first two majors, he had marked London as the ideal stage to break his duck and claim a record-equalling 25th Grand Slam lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the past two finals at the All England Club, Djokovic was candid about the challenge ahead."In the last six editions of this event, I've played six finals. I always enjoy myself on this court-except when I've played Alcaraz the last couple of years," he the Serb sent a firm message to his doubters, insisting he wouldn't be in London if he didn't believe he could go all the wouldn't be here if I didn't think I have a chance, to be honest. I think I always have a chance. I've earned the right to really feel like I can go all the way to the title. I've had arguably the most consistent success of any Grand Slam here at Wimbledon over the last decade."Djokovic, who shares the same half of the draw as Jannik Sinner, will face British wildcard and seasoned pro Daniel Evans in the second round.- EndsMust Watch
