Novak Djokovic credited a bathroom 'pep talk' for his triumphant comeback from 2 sets down against a 20-year-old foe

• Novak Djokovic rallied from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon quarterfinal.
• Djokovic credited his turnaround to a mid-match bathroom break, during which he gave himself a "mirror pep talk."

Novak Djokovic had to take a long look in the mirror while trailing Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon quarterfinal — literally.

Djokovic, the world No. 1, rallied from a two-set deficit to beat the 20-year-old Sinner in five sets Tuesday and advance to the Wimbledon semifinal.

Djokovic lost the first two sets, 7-5, 6-2, and looked to be headed toward a major crash. That's when he used a break to motivate himself.

Speaking on the PA after the match, Djokovic said he gave himself a "pep talk" in the bathroom during a break in the match.

"I went out, had a little bit of a refreshment, toilet break, a little pep talk in the mirror trying to — it's actually truth," Djokovic said, laughing.

"Sometimes in these kind of circumstances where not much is happening positively for you on the court in terms of tennis and the other guy on the court is dominating the play, sometimes these things are necessary. A little break, a little pep talk, and try to recuperate and re-gather the thoughts and reassemble everything that you have and [counter] your opponent with the best possible game."

He added: "Bathroom break was the turning point."

Djokovic won the following three sets in dominant fashion, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, though he and Sinner both exchanged wild points.

The match turned on serves, as Djokovic won 79% of his service points in the final three sets after winning just 54% over the first two sets.

Djokovic seemed to mentally break Sinner late in the fifth, when the 20-time Grand Slam champ won a point with an incredible sliding backhand.

—Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) July 5, 2022

After the match, Djokovic credited his experience, saying he's learned how to overcome his own mental hurdles to stay in matches.

"I go through the same kind of doubtful moments as anybody else," Djokovic said. "The inner fight is always the biggest fight that you have to fight on the court and off the court. Trying to win that internal fight is a big challenge. Once you do that, the external circumstances are, I feel like, more likely to go in your favor. I always believe that I can turn the match around."

Djokovic has not lost at Wimbledon since 2017. He is now second all-time in Wimbledon semifinals appearances, trailing only Roger Federer.

"Maybe it's the experience, maybe it's the toilet break, maybe it's everything combined," Djokovic said afterward, "but I'm just glad I'm through."

He will face Cameron Norrie in a semifinal match Friday.