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- Novak Djokovic has once again advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals.
- He had to come back from two sets down on Tuesday against Jannik Sinner to do so.
- Djokovic appeared to inhale something from a bottle before running off three straight set wins.
On Tuesday, number one seed Novak Djokovic advanced to the semifinals of this year’s Wimbledon tournament. It wasn’t easy though. He had to come back from two sets down to beat the tenth seed Jannik Sinner from Italy.
After jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the first set, the 35-year-old Djokovic lost 5-7, 2-6 and was on the precipice of elimination.
In between the second and third sets, Novak Djokovic was sitting in his chair when he was passed a bottle from his team and proceeded to appear to not only drink from it, but inhale it in some way, after confirming with them that he was supposed to do so.
Djokovic then went out and ran off three straight set wins, relatively easily, winning 6-3, 6-2, and 6-2.
This bizarre behavior, followed by the ease in which he went on to win the match, led many conspiracy theorists on the internet to question what exactly was in the bottle that Djokovic had ingested.
I would very much like to know what was in this bottle. It certainly wasn’t liquid, and he gestured to his coach before inhaling it. Very odd. pic.twitter.com/bBG62BOMFh
— Damian Reilly (@DamianReilly) July 5, 2022
Novak Djokovic and his odd behavior with a bottle had tennis fans confused
@dewiwilliamsx @gwokka @KezWheeldon this looks dodgy as. Who drinks with the bottle down?! Surely this needs to be looked at?! 🤔
— Andrew Davies (@fellrunningandy) July 5, 2022
Did you hear that he had gone for a ‘toilet break’ halfway through the match today too. 2 sets down and emerged like a new player 😬
— Matt Ward (@mattwardmc) July 5, 2022
He's doing it in front of everyone precisely not to arouse suspicion. People think he wouldn't dare do it in public. That's how he gets away with it.
The same reasoning goes for him saying he can't talk about it when asked about his long toilet break and coming back a changed man— Mary Robinson (@fcnfan13) July 6, 2022
Djokovic said after the match that his little pep talk to himself between the second and third sets helped him recover.
“Where not much is happening positively for you on the court in terms of tennis, and the other guy on the court is dominating the play, sometimes you know these things are necessary,” he said. “You know — a little break and a little pep talk and try to recuperate — and I guess regather the thoughts and reassemble everything that you have and come at your opponent with the best possible game.”
This isn’t the first time Novak Djokovic has sparked questions while drinking something during a match. In fact, it goes all the way back to 2012.
Back in February of 2020, he was also asked about it after a similar moment where his team had a ballboy deliver a bottle to him mid-match.
“The liquids were magic potions that my physio prepares in his lab,” he responded. “That’s all I can say (smiling).”
Tennis fans weren’t buying his explanation then either.
@fanyellow I really want to know what were in these drinks 🤔 Seemed to really turn match around
— Vansh (@vanshv2k) February 2, 2020
Novak Djokovic now plays the ninth seed, Cameron Norrie of Great Britain, this coming Saturday as he looks to win his fourth straight Wimbledon championship and seventh overall.