Given his remarkable feats up to that point, the amount of surprise when Novak Djokovic showed up training rigorously on his surgically repaired knee was a shock.

Because Djokovic is the embodiment of a warrior in a sport where few can claim to match his determination and durability, playing through adversity unless he can’t retire.

Twenty-six days after surgery, Djokovic takes to Centre Court today to begin his new path to glory at Wimbledon, a place he has won seven times before.

“My knee has responded very well to all of that so far, which, of course, is a great sign for my participation at Wimbledon. That’s why I decided to be in the draw,” second-seeded Djokovic told reporters on Saturday.

“I’m confident in the health of my knee, and my overall fitness level is really good.”

Novak Djokovic has managed to prove his fitness in time to appear on center court today.

After undergoing knee surgery less than a month ago, Djokovic has defied all expectations.

He has a number of bizarre beliefs, including drinking water from a pyramid in Bosnia.

She also has a super clean diet and believes in the power of positive affirmations in her diet.

The real question on everyone’s lips was: how did he pull the rabbit out of the hat this time?

On June 3, 2024, Djokovic faced Francisco Serundolo in the round of 16 of the French Open, and although after four hours and 39 minutes of an epic battle in what was his longest match at the Paris Slam, he managed to win.

But he suffered a serious injury, a disaster for Djokovic and the tournament. His knee was damaged, and despite his hatred of surgery, he knew it was the only option.

A day later, he announced his withdrawal from the tournament, and on June 5, he underwent surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee, seriously jeopardizing his place at Wimbledon.

“Yes, what people need to understand is that not all knee surgeries are the same,” American star Taylor Fritz said recently in Eastbourne.

‘I saw some things with people talking about all the problems Federer had with his knee surgeries and how he won’t be back for a couple of weeks.

“I say, ‘Yes, because it’s different.’ This is probably, in terms of surgeries you have to undergo and then try to recover as quickly as possible, one of the best you can do because it’s not a meniscus repair.

“When you tear your meniscus, you don’t need to have it all removed to be okay. You can cut out the torn part, and it’s more of a nuisance.”

‘That’s why it was broken, but he was still able to play because the place where it was broken wasn’t blocking anything. When I broke mine, I couldn’t actually walk because it was blocking something, but the actual procedure to remove it is the same, and all that’s involved in recovery is just the swelling of the incision—it’s just recovering from that.

Djokovic underwent rigorous rehabilitation to be ready to fight for an eighth Wimbledon

He says his knee has responded well to his rehabilitation, along with his daily meditation sessions.

‘As far as strength goes, you regain your full strength immediately; it’s just about recovering from the surgery itself, not from muscle issues. So I’m not surprised. I think he could have had the surgery before me; I think he has more recovery time than I do.

“I know for a fact that my first match at Wimbledon was exactly 20 days after my operation, so I played a little less than three weeks after my operation. So he’s going to be a week older than me. So it’s definitely not surprising at all that I can now hit the midfield lightly.”

Unorthodox is the word that defines Djokovic and his diverse beliefs, from the pyramid-shaped water to a temple that keeps him calm or the Bosnian mountain next to which he sits.

Marginal gains are what Djokovic is known for, and this latest rehabilitation will have been filled with extravagant ways to get back into shape.

He has previously shown his faith in the healing power of trampolines, in the use of meditation to combat injuries, in the belief that dirty water can be made clean again with the power of emotions alone. The list goes on.

There was a time when Djokovic set an alarm on his phone to know, to the minute, when a year had passed since he last ate a piece of chocolate.

Or the time he listened to The Beatles and a Serbian rock band called Električni Orgazam over and over again to perfect the rhythm of his famous comeback move.

Djokovic’s online chats with Chevrin Jafarieh (below) became notorious during the pandemic.

He has been seen training alongside British star Emma Raducanu (left) this week.

Or there is the faith placed in the healing power of “pyramid water.”

An article on Wimbledon’s official website details the “benefits of pyramid water.”

“Novak greatly appreciates the water from the pyramids. He sees its benefits,” said Sam Osmanagic, who announced to the world in 2005 that he had discovered the pyramids.

“When Novak comes here, he always stocks up on water.”

Djokovic is confident in this and has not kept quiet about his pilgrimages to the small town of Visoko, Bosnia, to “charge himself with the cosmic energy emitted by the ancient local pyramids.”

“There really is a miraculous energy here,” Djokovic said in 2018. “If there is paradise on Earth, then it is here.”

Traditional medicine and routine rehabilitation practices don’t appeal to Djokovic; his psyche and mentality have long been on a different level.

Nutrition is a key area for him, specifically the “positive energy” that food can distribute.

Yoga and meditation have become a key part of Djokovic’s routine as he seeks to stay at the top.

Djokovic (pictured with his son, Stefan) is a Christian and belongs to the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Much is expected of Djokovic with the draw open to win his eighth singles title.