Novak Djokovic's on-court behaviour during his Wimbledon third-round match against Arthur Rinderknech has drawn criticism from BBC pundit Jamie Murray, who said the Serbian star 'went too far' by repeatedly striking his own leg. Djokovic hit himself 11 times after losing the third set, a tactic that helped him rally to a four-set victory but left Murray concerned about potential physical consequences.
Djokovic's Self-Inflicted Bruises
'That might leave a mark in the morning. He might regret that tomorrow,' Murray said during the BBC broadcast. Fellow pundit Tim Henman added: 'My opponent was battering me as much as it is, let alone battering myself. That was a little bit OTT I think from Djokovic but whatever it takes to get the motivation going.'
Henman noted that Djokovic's self-flagellation occurred after he lost the third set, with the fourth set proving decisive. 'I think he knew the early part of that fourth set, having lost the third set, was going to be vital to really change the momentum. And I thought the fourth set was just top quality from both men,' Henman said.
Concerns Over Djokovic's Physical Condition
Presenter Clare Balding asked Henman whether he had any worries about Djokovic's physical state following the match. Henman responded: 'It's a classic cliche in Grand Slam tennis, certainly in the men's, that you can't win the tournament in the first week but you can certainly lose it. I think even though Djokovic is winning, that has been an issue in the past when he has played these very long, extended matches. Then when he gets into the semi-finals he's coming up against a Sinner or an Alcaraz, as was the case in 2025 when he got through to all four semi-finals he was a little short of gas in the tank.'
However, Henman added that Djokovic's first-week matches at Wimbledon this year have been relatively straightforward. 'But when I look at all of these three matches, he's come through, it's been pretty straightforward, I don't think it's been particularly physically demanding. So I think if you'd offered Djokovic this first week at Wimbledon this year he'd have said 'Absolutely, I'll take that every day of the week.'''
Djokovic's Post-Match Comments
Speaking courtside after his victory, Djokovic addressed his mental and physical state. 'How do I put this into simple terms? I think I've done everything I needed to do today, under circumstances that weren't maybe as good for me as they were in the second round, and it was still enough to win,' he said. 'At this age and stage in my career, every day brings something new and unpredictable for me. I'm hoping that I will come out at my best in a few days' time.'
Djokovic also lightheartedly mentioned his daughter's dance lessons: 'More than tennis, I hope that my dance moves will improve because my daughter has been teaching me but I'm pretty poor. She didn't give me a smile in the end, she was more like: 'Yeah, we have to practice!' But hopefully I can have many more dances throughout the rest of this tournament. We will see.'
