Novak Djokovic eats grass at Wimbledon as a celebratory ritual, a spontaneous fulfilment of a childhood promise he made to himself when dreaming of winning one of tennis's most prestigious tournaments.
How It Began
The ritual began in 2011, moments after Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in four sets to capture his very first Wimbledon title and ascend to world No. 1. Overwhelmed by emotion, he dropped to his knees, plucked a few blades from the Centre Court and put them in his mouth.
Later, Djokovic explained: "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. I didn't know what to do from the emotions that I had at that moment... so the tasting of the grass came spontaneously."
How Many Times Has Djokovic Eaten the Grass?
What started as a one-time emotional reaction quickly became a permanent post-match tradition. Every time he has lifted the trophy since - in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 - he has celebrated with a sample of the court.
The Diet Connection
Djokovic is known for his strict, plant-focused, gluten-free diet. Therefore, he has joked that eating the lawn fits perfectly into his nutritional regimen.
How Does It Taste?
When asked how Centre Court tastes, Djokovic often laughs and praises the All England Club's groundskeepers. He once said: "I've always dreamt of winning Wimbledon and I wanted to do something different. I didn't come up with a more original idea, so I thought I might as well just eat some grass. A lot of people ask me how it tastes, and it's the best freaking grass in the world."
