Why Novak Djokovic Was Slapping His Leg During Wimbledon Match

Arguably the best of Friday's action at Wimbledon was seventh-seeded Novak Djokovic's four-setter against Arthur Rinderknech in the third round. Djokovic outlasted Rinderknech in a match that went over three hours: 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4).

Djokovic secured the victory with a thrilling fourth-set tiebreak that left both players lying on the ground. The two competitors left it all on Centre Court, but did the 39-year-old Djokovic expend too much energy? Possibly. However, he assured the media that his health was fine after the match.

A reporter asked Djokovic during his post-match press conference why he was slapping his thigh during a changeover, and if the tape on his shoulder was any cause for concern.

Novak Djokovic's Physical and Mental Technique

"No, nothing major," Djokovic said. "It's just, you know, trying to, I guess, wake my muscles up sometimes when they for some reason shut down and, you know, trying to lift my spirit, lift my energy."

He added, "Sometimes, you know, it's something else in terms of what I do to try to get myself going with the energy. But, yeah, nothing major to be honest. Body is feeling all right for the moment."

So, it turns out that Djokovic slapping his thigh has a physical and mental effect on the 24-time Grand Slam champion. He believes it helps activate his muscle groups, with the added bonus of pepping himself up mentally during the match.

Novak Djokovic "Stressed Out" at Wimbledon

Djokovic admitted to feeling the pressure after the match, when he tied Roger Federer's record of men's singles wins (105) at Wimbledon.

"Today I was quite stressed out," Djokovic said in his on-court interview. "There was more tension than usual. I knew it was going to be a very challenging match for me. I'm just happy to overcome this. I propose a matchup between me and Roger for 106!"

Novak Djokovic's Outlook at Wimbledon

It is reassuring for tennis fans to hear that Djokovic feels good. He struggled physically throughout the clay-court season and did not play any warm-up tournaments on grass before Wimbledon. However, little preparation on grass and a tricky draw are less important than entering the tournament fresh.

Currently, Djokovic is the ATP World No. 8 with a singles record of 10-4 with zero titles. He got a lucky break with his fourth-round opponent, as qualifier Roman Safiullin upset the 24-seed Joao Fonseca yesterday. Djokovic will face Safiullin on Sunday, July 5.

The 2026 Wimbledon Championships run through July 12. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all of your tennis news from the court and beyond.

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