Novak Djokovic has revealed details about his alarming experience following a request for a medical time-out during his opening-round match Wimbledon win.
The seven-time title holder seemed destined to advance smoothly to the second round following a dominant 6-1 victory in the opening set of his match against a clearly intimidated Alexandre Muller.
Djokovic dominated much of the second set as well, but Muller managed to push things into a tie-break and eventually shocked the tennis legend to even up the match. Centre Court .
In troubling moments for anyone looking forward to witnessing Djokovic claims an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam championship title The physiotherapist and doctor were summoned by the Serb during the middle of the third set.
Djokovic seemed to receive pain relief treatment and could be seen stretching with deep breaths at a time when France's Muller also requested a medical break.
The 38-year-old came out more determined after the break in play, taking control of the following two sets with scores of 6-2 each to secure his spot in the second round. He’ll now face Great Britain’s Dan Evans in the upcoming match.
"To put it honestly, I experienced a complete swing from feeling at my peak to hitting rock bottom within just 45 minutes," Djokovic shared during his post-match courtside interview.
Either it was a stomach virus or another issue—I can't say for sure. It really got to me at first, but then my energy levels made an unexpected comeback thanks to some effective medication prescribed by the doctor.
When asked if he had ever worried about being made to quit tennis, Djokovic replied: 'Not at all. Honestly, I never even considered that possibility.'
I could tell something wasn’t right with my stomach, so I simply waited for things to settle down—and they did.
Novak Djokovic expressed his gratitude to the fans who remained till the very last moment, staying to witness his progression into the following stage of the tournament.
'It feels fantastic to wrap up tonight just in time before the curfew kicks in—I really appreciate everyone who stayed behind despite how late it got. Thank you all so much for your continued support; the energy out here has been incredible, particularly once they shut the roof. It definitely brought things to another level with all the noise—it sure looked like many of you were enjoying every moment,' he said.
'It feels amazing to return to Wimbledon, and I should start by expressing my gratitude and recognizing how special this court and this championship have always been to me—and to countless athletes worldwide. It represents a lifelong aspiration, so I truly cherish every moment spent playing here.'
Djokovic expressed relief at being able to pull himself together and end things on a 'positive note' following an intense and exhausting evening at SW19.
"I had fun — though clearly not as much during the second set," he added.
I had some difficulties with that, but my energy returned, and I was able to wrap up the match positively.
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