Clare Balding left Jamie Murray, Tim Henman and John McEnroe visibly puzzled when she drew attention to unusual markings on Novak Djokovic's ear at Wimbledon – before explaining that the Serbian tennis legend had undergone ear seeding in a bid to gain a competitive advantage.
Djokovic's Pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam
The 24-time Grand Slam champion is currently chasing his eighth title on the prestigious courts of SW19, but faces formidable opposition on his path to glory. Djokovic is due to face Jannik Sinner in the second match on Centre Court on Friday afternoon, fully aware of the threat posed by the ATP World No. 1.
The pair have faced each other 11 times throughout their careers, with Sinner edging ahead with six victories to Djokovic's five. Yet, according to Balding, Djokovic may have an unlikely advantage in the form of ancient Chinese medicine heading into Friday's encounter.
The Ear Seeding Revelation
Speaking during BBC Two's live coverage of the tournament, Balding said: "The little things Djokovic does all the time. He's improving his diet, he's very conscious of his sleep, he's stretching all the time. Have you noticed the little marks on his ear this time?" Both McEnroe and Henman confessed they had failed to notice, prompting Balding to swiftly shed light on the reason behind the curious markings on Djokovic's ear. She explained: "Don't worry, well it's something called ear seeding. You see these little marks, that's ear seeding and it's an acupressure technique, it's traditional Chinese medicine. And basically he can press on those in the match and it stimulates the pathways and [nervous system]. It's the little things."
Pundits React with Humour
Adding a touch of humour, Henman responded: "My attention to detail is not quite as good as Djokovic's." The Englishman failed to win a single Grand Slam throughout his own illustrious tennis career, reaching several semi-finals, including four at SW19. The 51-year-old then added: "You reflect on all elements of his game and development, and it's about leaving no stone unturned. And that's on the court, the improvements that he's made technically, physically. His athletic ability against [Felix] Auger-Aliassime, five hours and 15 minutes...when did he play his very best tennis? It was in the fifth-set tie break. I mean, he literally did not miss a shot. And we sit there, and I sort of think we shouldn't be surprised because he's done it for so long. And that makes it absolutely staggering, but how will the recovery be? It has to have an impact. We've seen him get to the latter stages of the slam in the last 18 months, and it's been hard for him."
