“Routine is incredibly important to me. He is a human being, if doing a certain action makes him feel good, he wants to do that action consistently.”
Tennis star Novak Djokovic (36, world No. 2, Serbia) revealed the secret of his long run in a Wimbledon special interview with the British BBC on the 3rd (Korean time). Wimbledon, the only one of the four major tournaments to be held on a grass court, opened at the All England Club in London, England. Djokovic, who played the first round, cruised by defeating Pedro Kachin (28, world No. 68, Argentina) 3-0 (6-3 6-3 7-6 <7-4>). Djokovic was seeded second in the tournament. ‘Morning Star’ Carlos Alcaras (20, world No. 1, Spain) is the top seed.
Djokovic, with his meticulous self-management, maintains an overwhelming performance even beyond his mid-thirties. The BBC explained, “Djokovic is known for his rigorous routine and meticulous preparation for competitions.” If rival Rafael Nadal (37, Spain) is famous for having more than 10 routines during a game, Djokovic is a ‘routine rich’ off the court. Routine refers to a consistent behavior that is habitually performed to maintain the level of exercise performance. Djokovic said, “I prefer to follow a routine while preparing for competitions. Because it gives you stability. That sense of stability leads to confidence in the game,” he said.
His representative routine is the ‘8 hours and 30 minutes’ sleep principle. Djokovic insists on the importance of sufficient rest, saying, “Sleep is more important than any other recovery routine.” It means that you can recover from fatigue through sufficient sleep and create a good condition. Go to bed before midnight no matter what. Sleep for 8-9 hours without waking up. Stretching and yoga for 20 minutes every morning is also an indispensable habit.
Taking a nap is also his routine. Djokovic spends 10 to 30 minutes a day closing his eyes and meditating. He says, “Even if it’s just 5 minutes, if you take a separate time to breathe deeply and close your eyes, it feels like your energy is recharged.”
If Djokovic maintains his condition through sleep, the secret to his steel stamina is a thorough diet. He insists on a ‘gluten-free’ diet in which he stops eating gluten메이저놀이터, an insoluble protein component in wheat flour. Djokovic, who suffered from poor physical condition and poor physical strength during his rookie days, changed his eating habits in 2010 when he found out that he had a gluten allergy. He stopped eating pizza, pasta, dairy, and sugar, which were indigestible and high in fat. Instead, he mainly eats vegetables, beans, chicken, fish, fruit, and nuts. The uneven weight was fixed at 77 kg, and the problem of physical decline disappeared. “My life changed when I started eating the right foods my body needed, the right way,” Djokovic said.
Djokovic’s main routine is to find a dedicated hairdresser to get a haircut and sharpen his mind before the competition. He has been wearing short-cut sports hair for several years. Djokovic’s exclusive hairdresser is famous British hairstylist Ricky Walters. Its clients include movie stars Sandra Bullock, Arnold Schwarzenegger and soccer player Gary Neville.
There are also routines that can only be followed at Wimbledon. Djokovic does not hesitate to eat some of the court grass whenever he wins at Wimbledon. Djokovic said, “As a child, Wimbledon was a dream. He wanted to do something out of the ordinary on the stage of his dreams, but he put it into action by eating grass.”
If Djokovic wins Wimbledon this year, it will be his 8th career title and 5th in a row. Along with ‘Emperor’ Roger Federer (42, retired, Switzerland), he becomes the player who has won the most titles in Wimbledon’s 147-year history. The 36-year-old is also challenging Federer’s 2017 record of being the oldest to win the Wimbledon men’s singles at the age of 35. If Djokovic, who won the Australian Open and the French Open this year, also sweeps Wimbledon, the ‘Calendar Grand Slam’, which will win all major tournaments in a year, is also in sight. It is a great record achieved by only two players in the history of tennis, Rod Laver (1962, 2 times in 1969, Australia) and Don Budge (1938, USA). The last major tournament, the US Open, will be held in August.