World tennis number one Novak Djokovic has revealed he has a “special relationship” with a tree in Melbourne, which helps him meditate and ground himself during the Australian Open.

Djokovic, 36, speaking after beating Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in four sets in the Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday night, said he’d been visiting the tree for about 15 years.

Asked by a journalist afterwards about being spotted returning to one specific tree at Melbourne’s botanical gardens, Djokovic said: “There’s one particular tree that I’ve been having [a] special relationship with, so to say, in the last 15 years.”

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As for what drew him him to it, he said: “I got connected with that tree. I just liked it. I liked its roots and the trunks and branches and everything. So I started climbing it years ago. That’s it. I just have a connection.

“I love every corner of [the] botanical gardens. I think it’s [an] incredible treasure for Melbourne to have such a park and nature in the middle of the city.”

Djokovic refused to identify which particular tree it was, though, saying: “I cannot reveal which one, I’ll try to keep it discreet for myself when I’m there to have my own time.”

Djokovic has posted pictures of himself around trees on social media, including one where he was barefoot standing in a tree in London in 2018.

The Serbian, who is trying to win the first grand slam tournament of the year, for the 11th time, had a confrontation with a heckler at a crucial point in the match.

He took issue with a comment from a spectator and approached the stands to tell him to “come here and say it to my face”.

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Asked what the heckler said, Djokovic replied: “I mean, you don’t want to know.

“There was a lot of things that were being told to me on the court, particularly from that corner, and the same side the other corner.”

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