The National Times - Djokovic reveals 'energetic disc' as new secret weapon

Known for his new-age spiritual interests, the Serbian star is in Melbourne hoping to wind back the clock and win an 11th Australian Open and record 25th Grand Slam singles title.

To help achieve the feat, he has a device made by an engineer in Serbia he claims has helped him deal with several ailments.

The 37-year-old showed off the dinner-plate size disc in a video on Instagram.

"It's (an) energetic disc, creates an electromagnetic field around it and (the) kind of secret is in this pattern," he said.

"And so when you place it on a certain part of your body, place this part, for example, if you have stomach issues, which I do have often when I'm nervous, stressed before the match or indigestion issues, that creates heat.

"So then it starts enhancing the metabolic functions or it reduces inflammation in certain parts of the body."

Djokovic added: "I have a bunch of those and I do carry it everywhere.

"When I fly in the plane, I put it on (my) head or somewhere. I shouldn't be having it on the body parts for too long, so like 20-30 minutes it does its work."

Djokovic has long credited a series of unusual methods for helping him become one of the greatest players of all time, and has never been shy of talking about his eccentricities.

He swears by a plant-based diet, extols the virtues of meditation, has used a spiritual guru.

The Serb has also previously spoken about using hyperbaric oxygen chambers and healing "pyramids", while claiming it was possible to alter the composition of water and food through the power of positive thinking.

He is a known vaccine-sceptic, a stance that led to his deportation from Melbourne -- where he has a favourite tree he likes to hug -- ahead of the 2022 Australian Open during the Covid pandemic.

Djokovic kicks off his Australian Open this year against American Nishesh Basavareddy on Monday.

A.M.Owen--TNT