WIMBLEDON, England—Few players in tennis history have ever had a tactical repertoire like the Novak Djokovic playbook. It runs so deep that it’s impossible to pick out a single signature move.
He is the master of the two-handed backhand down the line. He is incomparable when defending deep in his own court. And, in the tightest moments of the biggest matches, Djokovic has perfected the art of bending time to his advantage: he uses the bathroom break.
“You mainly use this moment to reset yourself mentally, changing your environment,” Djokovic said at this year’s French Open. “Even if it’s a short break, you can have a few deep breaths and come back as a new player.”
Now into the semifinals of Wimbledon and chasing a season sweep of all four majors plus Olympic gold, Djokovic is applying bathroom resets to devastating effect. During this year’s French Open alone, he did it twice, including once midway through his come-from-behind victory in the final.
But Djokovic, 34, isn’t just running to the bathroom more because he’s getting older. Strategic pauses have been a key tactic for him throughout his career.
