World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is under scrutiny for his actions during a recent Wimbledon match, when he appeared to inhale contents from a water bottle.
Rather than merely drinking from the bottle, Djokovic seems to rather uncomfortably breathe in the bottle’s contents during a break in the action of his quarterfinal bout with Jannik Sinner.
Before doing so, Djokovic pantomimes across the way toward his support crew, repeatedly gesturing in the direction of the bottle.
Though it is unclear what the bottle holds, Djokovic is reportedly one of several players to take unmixed energy supplements and isotonic powders during his matches.
“You wouldn’t really get any benefit from doing it mid-match, but I’m sure this is isotonic,” a source told the Telegraph. “… It’s mainly pre-workout stuff because it gives them a buzz. I imagine it’s disgusting in the throat. It’s weird, but it is what they are doing.”
Perhaps buoyed by the secret contents, the 35-year-old Djokovic stormed back against Sinner, winning the final three sets after dropping the first two to take the match.
Djokovic faced similar scrutiny at the Australian Open two years ago, when he guzzled contents out of a water bottle in a comparable fashion; last time, though, he utilized a drinking straw.
When asked about it at the time, Djokovic mused: “The liquids were magic potions that my physio prepares in the lab. That’s all I can say.”
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