Novak Djokovic(1987 — ?)
Novak Djoković
Serbie, Serbie-et-Monténégro, république fédérative socialiste de Yougoslavie, république fédérale de Yougoslavie
6 min read
Serbian tennis player born in 1987, considered one of the greatest in the history of the sport. He holds the record for the most men's Grand Slam titles and dominated the professional tour for over a decade.
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Born on 22 May 1987 in Belgrade, then in Yugoslavia
- Won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2008
- Became world number one for the first time in 2011
- Holds the men's record for Grand Slam titles (24, in 2023)
- Won the gold medal in singles at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024
Works & Achievements
First major victory breaking the dominance of the Federer-Nadal duo and heralding the rise of the “Big Three.”
An exceptional year with three Grand Slam titles and a rise to world number one; considered one of the most dominant seasons in history.
Holding all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously, a feat that few players have achieved.
He surpasses Roger Federer for the most weeks spent atop the ATP rankings.
The all-time men's record for major titles, lifting him among the greatest athletes of all time.
The crowning achievement of his career at the Paris Games, the last major trophy missing from his record.
A book in which he recounts his childhood in Serbia and the importance of his diet in his success.
Anecdotes
In 1999, when he was 11 years old, Novak Djokovic trained while NATO bombs struck Belgrade during the Kosovo War. With his family, he took shelter every night in bunkers, but courageously returned to the courts the very next morning, often choosing the recently bombed grounds, reasoning that the same target would not be hit twice.
As a child, Djokovic humorously imitated the gestures and quirks of his opponents such as Maria Sharapova or Rafael Nadal during exhibition matches, which earned him the nickname “Djoker,” a blend of Djokovic and “joker” (the prankster).
Around 2010, medical tests revealed that he suffered from a gluten intolerance. By radically changing his diet, he underwent a physical transformation and, in 2011, began one of the greatest seasons in tennis history, with 41 consecutive wins at the start of the year.
In January 2022, Djokovic, unvaccinated against Covid-19, was detained upon his arrival in Australia and then deported from the country after a highly publicized legal battle. As a result, he could not defend his title at the Australian Open, an episode that deeply divided public opinion.
At the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, at the age of 37, Djokovic finally won the one major prize missing from his record: the Olympic gold medal in singles, beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final. He broke down in tears, fulfilling a dream he had pursued for years.
Primary Sources
I remember the first night of the bombings. At 3 in the morning, the piercing shriek of the planes and the deafening explosion of the bombs woke us up.
This is perhaps the greatest success I have ever had. Playing for your country is different from anything else.
I am extremely disappointed with the Court's ruling to dismiss my application for judicial review. I am uncomfortable that the focus of the past few weeks has been on me.
Key Places
Djokovic's hometown, where he grew up and learned tennis despite the difficult context of the 1990s. He lived through the NATO bombings there in 1999.
Mountain resort where the young Novak, aged four, discovered tennis under the guidance of coach Jelena Genčić, who immediately spotted his talent.
Grass-court tournament where Djokovic has won several titles and which he has regarded as a dream goal since childhood.
Center court of the Parisian clay-court tournament, where he achieved the “Career Grand Slam” in 2016. He also won his Olympic gold medal there in 2024.
Home of the Australian Open, his most successful tournament, but also the site of his deportation episode in 2022.
