Why does Novak Djokovic eat Wimbledon grass? Reason explained

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Novak Djokovic has missed out on competing in this year’s Australian Open 2022 over the row about his vaccination status, and now the tennis icon looks set to be ruled out of the French Open as well. Had he played in Melbourne, he was a firm favourite to win, but instead was forced to pack his bags and leave Australia as he had not had a Covid vaccine.

The nine-time Aussie Open champion had his visa cancelled by border officials on his arrival in the country on January 5, but later won an appeal to have the decision overturned on the grounds of “procedural fairness”.

But days later his visa was cancelled and he was returned to detention once again, but later being asked to leave Australia.

Djokovic arrived home in Serbia on Monday, where fans of the 34-year-old waited to greet him.

But while a statement said he would take some time at home “to rest and to recuperate” following his exit from Oz, it seems Djokovic has had another blow to his tournament plans for this year.

It has already been speculated that he’ll be forced to miss the big ATP tournaments in Miami and Indian Wells, as the USA has – like Australia – strict rules on who can enter the country following the pandemic.

And this week, his appearance at the French Open has been put in doubt after sports minister Roxana Maracineanu announced sportspeople will need to be vaccinated to compete in France.

Gilles Moretton, President of the French Tennis Federation, told l’Equipe: “Our teams are working in collaboration with the public authorities, who will specify in due course the rules relating to the reception of unvaccinated foreign athletes for our tournament.”

The move will come as a blow to the sporting icon, but as yet it seems he could still compete in Wimbledon – where he has a very bizarre winning tradition.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/194cLdYnVF8

Why does Novak Djokovic eat Wimbledon grass?

A 24-year-old Djokovic stunned the Wimbledon crowd back in 2011 when he defeated Rafael Nadal in the final.

After the Spaniard sent a backhand long for Djokovic to win his first Wimbledon title, the Serbian collapsed to the floor in disbelief at his achievement.

Minutes later and Djokovic raised a few eyebrows when he bent down and plucked a piece of the Wimbledon grass and ate it.

Since then, it’s become an unusual tradition from the world No 1 to repeat that every time he has won at Wimbledon.

Speaking back in 2011, he said: “I didn’t know what to do from the emotions that I had at that moment.

“It was an incredible feeling so the tasting of the grass came spontaneously. It tasted really good!”

And he opened up on his post-match snack after winning back in 2018.

“It’s a little tradition obviously,” he said. “As a kid I was dreaming of winning Wimbledon, so, like every child, you dream of doing something crazy when you actually achieve it — if you achieve it — and that was one of the things.”

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