Novak Djokovic is now 38 and Old Father Time appears to be catching up with him.
Injuries and other issues are now affecting him more than ever – and he’s doing his best to keep them at bay.
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Djokovic broke Wimbledon’s all-white rule, but it was for good reasonCredit: Getty
The 24-time Grand Slam winner is through to the Wimbledon quarter-finals despite suffering apparent breathing issues in the fourth round.
He will be hoping that does not impede his game when he steps out on court to face Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday.
Back in 2024, it was a knee issue that was causing him great trouble and had to battle to even make the tournament.
He underwent knee surgery on a meniscus injury just weeks before Wimbledon.
Djokovic was seen sporting a sizeable brace on his right knee, but it was one that was, by all intents and purposes, illegal.
The All England club enforces a strict all-white rule during the Championship which even saw Ons Jabeur temporarily thrown off Centre Court ahead of last year’s final for warming up in a black training top.
However, given Djokovic’s grey brace was the only thing keeping the sport’s most famous current player in action, a rare exception had to be made.
It wasn’t for the want of trying on the Serbian’s part either, as he explained: “I did check. I actually just met the chairwoman just before walking onto the court.
“She gave me thumbs up, so it was okay. Of course, we did check in the days prior if we have permission. We’re trying to find a white one, trust me.
“I saw Frances Tiafoe played, he had actually a black colour sleeve. Gray, I think it’s maybe slightly better towards the white. I know it’s not ideal.
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Djokovic insisted that if it were up to him he’d have been playing in all-whiteCredit: Getty
“I like to go all white and I like to respect the rules. But I got the permission. I said to them that I will give our best for next match [to find] the white one.”
The official rule reads: ‘Competitors must be dressed in suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white and this applies from the point at which the player enters the court surround.’
Current world no.1 Jannik Sinner similarly broke the rule in 2023, but had some leeway as it was equipment rather than attire.
The Italian marched out with a gold Gucci bag, but only after an agreement between the company and Wimbledon’s organisers.
Not everyone is so lucky though. In 2022 Australian star Nick Kyrgios sported a pair of red Air Jordans which pocketed him a £1100 fine, and he later told the media ‘I do what I want’.
Kyrgios even went so far as to say that the all white rule should be scrapped at Wimbledon, for one year at least.
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Djokovic struggled with his breathing earlier in the tournamentCredit: Getty
He told talkSPORT.com: “I think it’d be cool to mix it up. I think everyone should wear all black.
“I think it would contrast the grass well and the white lines. I think that would be. It’d be a good change. I think one year they should just do it.
“It would look super clean on the court and on TV. It would look amazing.”
For now it is set to stay, but calls are growing louder for changes to be made.