"My guardian angels are there, I can't reveal the secret" - When Novak Djokovic reacted to bathroom break controversy after winning French Open 2021
Novak Djokovic has always been notorious for taking extended medical timeouts and retiring mid-match regularly. While all of that disappeared with his rise as one of the best tennis players ever, he found himself in the middle of a controversy in 2021, when questions were raised about his bathroom breaks during the matches.
During his fourth-round match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti at the 2021 French Open, the Serb was two sets down when he left the court to change his underwear. He fought back and won the match in the fifth set to advance. The 35-year-old went on to beat 14-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal in the semifinals in a four-set thriller.
The final against Stefanos Tsitsipas saw glimpses of Djokovic's clash against Musetti as the World No. 1 was once again trailing by two sets. He went off the court only to return to take the next three sets and become the first player in the Open Era to win every Major twice.
After the match, the Greek player also weighed in on his opponent's toilet break.
“I don’t know what happened there, but he came back, to me, like a different player, suddenly,” Tsitsipas said.
In a press conference, one of the journalists asked Djokovic what he did during his bathroom breaks to turn things around quickly.
"When you go to the toilet, what happens? You go there, you come back after Musetti two sets down, you are another player. Then you go versus Nadal, same thing. With Berrettini, third set, you come back unbelievable. Today Tsitsipas says, 'He was another player when he came back'. Do you meet Saint Sava, the patron saint of Serbia, or what?," asked the journalist.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion resorted to humor and said:
"Exactly. My angels are there. My guardian angels are there. I have my special corner. It's a secret. I can't reveal the secret. It's been working for me pretty well."
Novak Djokovic has often been accused of disrupting opponent's rhythm by taking breaks
Novak Djokovic was often believed to take bathroom breaks or request medical timeouts to halt his opponent’s momentum. During the Serb's medical timeout during the 2015 Australian Open final, a frustrated Andy Murray was heard saying:
“Don’t worry about him. He does it all the time.”
During the 2021 French Open, Djokovic remarked that taking a break can help a player reset himself.
"You mainly use this moment to reset yourself mentally, changing your environment. Even if it’s a short break, you can have a few deep breaths and come back as a new player,” he said.
After missing the Sunshine Double, Djokovic is gearing up for the 2023 Monte Carlo Masters, the third Masters 1000 tournament of the year.