After bringing calm to Wimbledon with a comfortable win, Novak Djokovic revealed he has been visiting a Buddhist Temple in an effort to escape the pressure-cooker atmosphere of a Grand Slam.
The world No1 moved seamlessly into the third round by beating American qualifier Bobby Reynolds 7-6, 6-3, 6-1 restoring order to the All England Club.
In the wake of Wednesday’s fireworks, when seeds were humbled and successive players tumbled on the slippery grass, Djokovic was asked about his trips to the Buddhapadipa Temple, which is half a mile from the All England Club.
“It’s very calm and quiet, obviously,” he said. “I stay in a house which is very nearby. This is a usual place which we all visit.
“We like Wimbledon and London in general because there are so many beautiful parks and nature, places which you can call getaways during these two weeks of a hectic Grand Slam atmosphere.
“Obviously, there is a huge amount of pressure and stress and everything involved, so you need to have a place where you know you can switch off and recharge your batteries.
“I can’t talk much about that. I guess it’s private, in a way. But I just can say that it’s a very calm and very beautiful environment where I like to spend time.”
Against an opponent ranked 156th in the world, there was little realistic chance of an upset but, after Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal made an early exit, there was at least an edge to the match in the early stages.
After coming through a first set tie-break, Djokovic broke twice in the second and twice more in the third, before wrapping up victory in one hour 54 minutes.
“The fact the top players lost in the last few days gives enough reason to not underestimate anyone,” he said.
