NAME Novak Djokovic
WHAT FAMOUS FOR Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. He has won multiple Grand Slam titles, held the world No. 1 ranking for a record number of weeks, and is known for his exceptional athleticism, mental toughness, and all-court playing style.
BIRTH Novak Djokovic was born on May 22, 1987, in Belgrade, Serbia (then part of Yugoslavia).
FAMILY BACKGROUND Djokovic comes from a sports-oriented family. His parents, Srdjan and Dijana Djokovic, ran a family-owned restaurant and a sports goods business. He has two younger brothers, Marko and Djordje, who also pursued tennis.
CHILDHOOD Djokovic began playing tennis at the age of four after watching the sport on television. His talent was quickly recognized by Jelena Genčić, a renowned Serbian tennis coach, who described him as a prodigy. During his childhood, he trained in Serbia before moving to Germany at the age of 12 to develop his game further. Growing up in war-torn Yugoslavia, Djokovic experienced hardships, including NATO bombings in 1999, which he later said strengthened his resilience.
EDUCATION Djokovic focused primarily on his tennis career from a young age, training extensively rather than pursuing a traditional academic path. He attended the Pilic Tennis Academy in Germany, where he refined his skills under professional coaching.
Despite his tennis commitments, Djokovic graduated from a Belgrade high school, though he later expressed regret about not pursuing university education. Hec has publicly stated, “I never went to university… one regret, that I would like to go… I’m very curious.” (1)
He founded the Novak Djokovic Foundation in 2007 to support early childhood education for underprivileged Serbian children
CAREER RECORD Djokovic has won numerous Grand Slam titles, including multiple Australian Open, Wimbledon, French Open, and US Open championships. He holds the record for the most weeks ranked as world No. 1 in men's tennis history and has completed a career Grand Slam, winning all four major tournaments. Additionally, he has achieved the rare feat of holding all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously. His rivalries with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are among the most famous in tennis history.
APPEARANCE Djokovic is known for his lean, athletic physique, standing 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 meters) tall. He has sharp facial features, short dark brown hair, and expressive brown eyes. His on-court endurance and flexibility, particularly his remarkable ability to slide on hard courts, are defining aspects of his physical presence.
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| Novak Djokovic at Qatar Open photo by Hanson K Joseph |
FASHION Djokovic has been associated with various sports brands throughout his career, including Adidas, Sergio Tacchini, and Lacoste. He is often seen wearing classic and sophisticated athletic wear on and off the court. His fashion choices reflect a mix of sporty elegance and European refinement.
CHARACTER Djokovic is known for his competitive spirit, determination, and mental toughness. He can be emotional on the court, but also displays sportsmanship and respect for his opponents. Off the court, he is deeply involved in humanitarian work through the Novak Djokovic Foundation, which focuses on early childhood education in Serbia.
SPEAKING VOICE Djokovic has a clear, confident, and articulate speaking voice. Impressively, he is fluent in four languages—Serbian, English, Italian, and German—allowing him to communicate effortlessly with a global audience.
SENSE OF HUMOUR Novak Djokovic is widely known for his playful personality and exceptional sense of humor. He has a knack for impersonations and has famously mimicked fellow tennis stars, including John McEnroe, Maria Sharapova, and Andre Agassi, often to the amusement of fans and fellow players. His lighthearted approach to the game, including on-court jokes and playful interactions, has made him one of the most entertaining figures in tennis.
RELATIONSHIPS Novak Djokovic married his longtime partner Jelena Ristić on July 10, 2014, at the Aman Sveti Stefan Resort in Montenegro. The coastal ceremony occurred just days after Djokovic secured his second Wimbledon title, with Jelena wearing a custom Alexander McQueen gown while pregnant with their first child. The couple exchanged vows overlooking the Adriatic Sea in an intimate ceremony attended by 100 guests.
The two had known each other since their school days and have built a strong family together. They have a son, Stefan, born in 2014, and a daughter, Tara, born in 2017.
Djokovic has a deep-rooted friendship with fellow Serbian tennis player Ana Ivanovic. The two grew up together, and their families were also close—Ana’s father and Djokovic’s uncle were friends.
MONEY AND FAME As one of the most successful and marketable tennis players in history, Djokovic has earned millions in prize money and endorsements. He has lucrative sponsorship deals with brands like Lacoste, Asics, and Hublot. His earnings from tennis prize money alone exceed $170 million, making him the highest-earning male player in tennis history. Despite his fame, Djokovic remains grounded and uses his wealth to support charitable causes, particularly through his Novak Djokovic Foundation, which focuses on education and childhood development.
FOOD AND DRINK Djokovic follows a strict gluten-free diet, which he credits for significantly improving his stamina and performance. He even wrote a book, Serve to Win, detailing how his dietary changes transformed his career. He is known to enjoy organic and plant-based foods and has invested in a vegan restaurant in Monte Carlo..
Novak Djokovic’s gluten-free food line Djokolife, launched in 2015 with a Milan event and sold through Decathlon, appears to no longer be operational.
MUSIC AND ARTS Djokovic enjoys music and has been seen dancing at various tournaments and events. He has also participated in music-related events, including playing the violin for fun and occasionally singing at celebratory functions. He has a particular appreciation for Serbian folk music and enjoys listening to a variety of genres including reggae, and classical music. His favorite song is "Fly Away" by Lenny Kravitz.
LITERATURE Djokovic is an avid reader and enjoys books on self-improvement, philosophy, spirituality and mindfulness. He has spoken about the influence of books like The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle on his mental approach to tennis and life. He often references Stoicism and Eastern philosophies in interviews
NATURE A passionate nature lover, Djokovic often spends time hiking and exploring the outdoors. He enjoys the serenity of mountains and lakes, frequently sharing his love for nature on social media. He has mentioned that being in nature helps him relax and recharge, which is crucial for maintaining his high-performance level on the court.
PETS Novak Djokovic and his family share their home with a menagerie of beloved dogs, demonstrating their passion for pets and animal welfare. As at February 2025, the family's canine companions include Pierre and Tesla, two poodles who are frequent stars of family photos and social media posts. These furry celebrities, often featured in Jelena Djokovic's updates, enjoy adventures ranging from beach walks to tennis-themed playdates. Adding to the pack is a rescue puppy, adopted in early 2024 after being found abandoned. The unnamed pup quickly became a cherished family member.
Beyond their personal pets, the Djokovics are committed to animal advocacy. The Novak Djokovic Foundation actively promotes pet adoption and animal welfare, providing funding to shelters in Serbia.
HOBBIES AND SPORTS Aside from tennis, Djokovic enjoys skiing, which he learned growing up in Serbia. He also enjoys water sports such as swimming, kayaking, and open-water diving, often incorporating these into his training
Djokovic is a soccer fan and supports both Red Star Belgrade and AC Milan.
He practices yoga and meditation to enhance his mental strength and flexibility.
TENNIS CAREER Novak Djokovic is, without question, one of the most statistically absurd athletes in tennis history. He has spent 428 weeks at world No. 1 (long enough to get a medical degree, forget it all, and start over), won multiple Grand Slam singles titles, and—just for good measure—completed the rare and ridiculous “Career Golden Slam” by winning Olympic gold in 2024. In case you’re unfamiliar, this means he has won every single major tennis event at least once, which is the sporting equivalent of getting a PhD in physics, literature, and underwater welding simultaneously.
But to leave it at that would be to ignore the sheer, relentless, never-say-die, please-make-it-stop dominance that Djokovic has inflicted upon his unfortunate rivals for the better part of two decades.
Let’s begin with his favorite stomping grounds, the Australian Open, where Djokovic has won a scarcely believable 10 titles. That’s more than any other player at a single Grand Slam, and—given how things are going—he may just keep winning them until the Melbourne skyline is replaced by statues of him. At Wimbledon, he’s pocketed seven trophies, making him one of the finest grass-court players ever, despite being Serbian (a country not known for its expansive pastures). He’s conquered Roland Garros three times, making him the only man in history to have bested Rafael Nadal at the French Open more than once—a feat that should, by all rights, earn him some kind of diplomatic immunity. At the US Open, he’s lifted the trophy four times, despite often being booed by the New York crowd, who apparently enjoy their villains with a little more subtlety.
And then there’s the Olympics, where Djokovic—after multiple failed attempts—finally won gold in 2024, completing his Career Golden Slam. By this point, one suspects the rest of the ATP Tour just sighed, nodded, and accepted their fate.
Against Roger Federer, Djokovic leads 27–23, with the 2019 Wimbledon final serving as their most Shakespearean encounter: Federer, two match points up, within a whisper of immortality… only for Djokovic to swat it away and win in 4 hours and 57 minutes, breaking millions of Swiss hearts in the process.
Djokovic’s game is, quite frankly, an engineer’s dream. His backhand is an architectural marvel—eastern/continental grip, precision measured in microns, depth so unrelenting that opponents might as well set up camp behind the baseline. His return of serve is the greatest in history, which is a polite way of saying that many of his peers see him as an absolute nightmare. His forehand has evolved from a reliable shot to a full-on weapon, and even his serve—once considered his one flaw—has become an ace-producing machine.
Djokovic is, in a word, unbreakable. He has survived match points against Federer at Wimbledon, saved championship points against Carlos Alcaraz at the 2023 Cincinnati Open, and generally treated high-stakes pressure the way most people treat grocery shopping. His ability to turn seemingly hopeless situations into victories is so consistent that his opponents should be awarded honorary psychology degrees just for enduring it.
In his early career, Djokovic was a counterpuncher—a defensive genius capable of chasing down shots that should have been outright winners. Then, in 2011, he morphed into something more terrifying: an aggressive baseliner who combined Nadal’s defense, Federer’s precision, and a sense of timing so perfect that clockmakers wept. In his later years, he has refined his game further, balancing power with patience, strategy with ruthlessness.
When all is said and done, Djokovic’s place in tennis history is secure. He has a winning record against both Nadal and Federer, has won each Grand Slam at least three times, and has built a resume so exhaustive that future historians will need entire textbooks just to document it. Love him or loathe him, there is no denying his staggering impact on the sport.
SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS Since 2010, Djokovic has worked with nutritionist Igor Četojević, who specializes in Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Četojević introduced him to a gluten-free diet, which Djokovic credits for significantly improving his health and endurance. Djokovic is also known for his interest in alternative medicine and holistic wellness, often exploring unconventional health practices.
PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Djokovic is deeply spiritual and follows a mix of Eastern philosophies and Serbian Orthodox Christianity. He has spoken about the importance of meditation, mindfulness, and visualization techniques in his success. He often credits his mental strength to his belief in higher consciousness and inner peace. Djokovic also observes Orthodox Christian traditions and has received the Order of St. Sava, the highest honor of the Serbian Orthodox Church, for his contributions to humanitarian causes.
POLITICS Djokovic generally stays away from political debates but has occasionally expressed views on social and national issues. He is a proud advocate of Serbian identity and has supported various initiatives for the development of Serbian sports and education. However, his stance on global political matters remains largely neutral.
SCANDAL Despite his many triumphs, Djokovic’s career has not been without controversy. His stance on vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic made headlines when he expressed opposition to mandatory jabs, a position that ultimately led to his dramatic deportation from Australia in 2022. The whole affair was a media circus of truly operatic proportions, with Djokovic holed up in a Melbourne quarantine hotel while legal battles raged over whether he could defend his Australian Open title.
MILITARY RECORD Djokovic has never served in the military, as Serbia does not enforce mandatory military service. However, he has expressed admiration for Serbian military history and national resilience.
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Djokovic is known for his exceptional fitness, flexibility, and endurance, which he attributes to his disciplined training regimen and diet. His gluten-free lifestyle, meditation, and yoga routines play a crucial role in his physical and mental preparation. He is also an advocate of breathing techniques and stretching exercises that help maintain his peak performance on the court.
HOMES Djokovic owns multiple luxury properties around the world. He has residences in Monte Carlo, Belgrade, Marbella, and Miami. His Monte Carlo home has been his primary base for years, allowing him access to top-tier training facilities while enjoying a tax-friendly environment.
TRAVEL As one of the most successful tennis players of all time, Djokovic travels extensively for tournaments and charity work. He enjoys exploring new cultures and frequently shares his experiences from various countries. He has expressed a particular fondness for Japan, where he appreciates the discipline and traditions of the local culture.
APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Djokovic has made several media appearances, from sports documentaries to late-night talk shows. He has been featured in numerous tennis documentaries, including Strokes of Genius, which explores his rivalry with Federer and Nadal. His charismatic personality and humor have also made him a popular guest on shows like Late Show with David Letterman and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
ACHIEVEMENTS Djokovic's achievements are numerous, including 24 Grand Slam singles titles, a record 389 weeks at world No. 1, and numerous other records and awards. He is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. His 2012 Australian Open final victory against Rafael Nadal, which lasted 5 hours and 53 minutes, remains the longest Grand Slam final in history.
Source (1) Tradeschool
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