Shortly after stepping off Wimbledon’s Centre Court on Friday, where he recorded yet another comfortable straight-sets victory, Novak Djokovic was asked what goes through his mind when he plays. His reply was telling.
“I try to put myself only in the present moment, not fight against the thoughts and the pressure and the excitement, but just acknowledge them and be aware of present thoughts but also try to keep my composure and calm,” the defending champion said. “I try to just be in the moment and enjoy.”
Djokovic is often regarded as one of the sport’s strongest players when it comes to mental toughness. It is a technique he has refined through meditation and, when he is at Wimbledon, he uses a nearby Buddhist temple as his refuge.
The Buddhapadipa Temple is on a leafy suburban street only a five-minute walk from the All England Club. Djokovic, who has been using the four-acre site for quiet contemplation for several years, is its most famous visitor.
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