13 things about tennis player Novak Djokovic from Belgrade

Novak Djokovic (Новак Ђоковић) is a Serbian-Croatian professional tennis player who owns houses in Monte Carlo, Monaco, in New York, United States and in Miami, Florida, USA. He was born in Belgrade, Serbia to Serbian father Srđan Djokovic and Croatian mother Dijana Žagar Djokovic.

Novak’s younger brothers Marko Djokovic and Djordje Djokovic are also professional tennis players. Their father was born in Trepča, Kosovo while their mother was born in Belgrade to parents from Vinkovci, Croatia.

BIOGRAPHY

Novak is a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church. He speaks Serbian, English, French, German and Italian.

In high school, Novak met Jelena Ristić. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. In 1991, he started playing tennis.
2. In 1993, he was sent to a tennis camp organized by the Teniski Klub Partizan.
3. From 1999 to 2003, he trained at the Pilic Academy in Munich, Germany.
4. In 2001, as a Yugoslavia national team member, he reached the final of the Junior Davis Cup for players under 14.
5. In 2003, he signed an Adidas clothing contract.
6. In 2005, he and Ristić started dating and he made his debut in the Australian Open, in the French Open, in the Wimbledon Championships and in the U.S. Open.
7. In 2006, former Slovak tennis player Marián Vajda started coaching him.
8. In 2009, after Adidas refused to extend his clothing contract, he signed a 10-year deal with Sergio Tacchini.
9. In 2011, he was awarded the Serbian Orthodox Church‘s highest decoration, the Order of St. Sava I class, by Patriarch Irinej of Serbia.
10. From August 30, 2016 to August 30, 2020, he was the president of the Players Council of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
11. In 2019, Goran Ivanišević started coaching him.
12. In 2020, he tested positive for the new coronavirus (COVID-19).
13. On May 22, 2025, he turned 38.

TIMELINE

Novak is 6’2″ tall. In 2003, he made his professional tennis debut.

2006

• In June 2006, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2006 French Open men’s singles after losing to Rafael Nadal.

2007

• In June 2007, he finished in the semifinals of the 2007 French Open men’s singles after losing to Nadal.
• In July 2007, he finished in the semifinals of the 2007 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles after losing to Nadal.
• On September 9, 2007, he became runner-up to 2007 U.S. Open men’s singles champion Roger Federer.

2008

• In January 2008, he finished in the semifinals of the 2008 Australian Open men’s singles after losing to Federer.
• In June 2008, he finished in the semifinals of the 2008 French Open men’s singles after losing to Nadal.
• In August 2008, he represented Serbia in tennis men’s singles at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China and won the bronze medal.
• In September 2008, he finished in the semifinals of the 2008 U.S. Open men’s singles after losing to Federer.

2009

• In January 2009, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Australian Open men’s singles after losing to Andy Roddick.
• In July 2009, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles after losing to Tommy Haas.
• In September 2009, he finished in the semifinals of the 2009 U.S. Open men’s singles after losing to Federer.

2010

• In January 2010, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Australian Open men’s singles after losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
• In June 2010, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2010 French Open men’s singles after losing to Jürgen Melzer.
• In July 2010, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles after losing to Tomáš Berdych.
• On September 13, 2010, he became runner-up to Nadal, who was the 2010 U.S. Open men’s singles champion.

2011

• On January 30, 2011, he became the 2011 Australian Open men’s singles champion by beating Andy Murray in the final.
• In June 2011, he finished in the semifinals of the 2011 French Open men’s singles after losing to Federer.
• On July 3, 2011, he became the 2011 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles champion by beating Nadal.
• On September 12, 2011, he became the 2011 U.S. Open men’s singles champion by beating Nadal.

2012

• On January 29, 2012, he won the 2012 Australian Open men’s singles by beating Nadal in the final.
• On June 11, 2012, he became runner-up to Nadal, who was the 2012 French Open men’s singles champion.
• In July 2012, he finished in the semifinals of the 2012 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles after losing to Federer.
• On September 10, 2012, he became runner-up to Murray, who was the 2012 U.S. Open men’s singles champion.

2013

• On January 27, 2013, he became the 2013 Australian Open men’s singles champion by beating Murray in the final.
• In June 2013, he finished in the semifinals of the 2013 French Open men’s singles after losing to Nadal.
• On July 7, 2013, he became runner-up to Murray, who was the 2013 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles champion.
• On September 9, 2013, he became runner-up to Nadal, who was the 2013 U.S. Open men’s singles champion.  
• On September 25, 2013, he announced that he and Ristić got engaged.
• In December 2013, former German tennis player Boris Becker became his head coach.

2014

• In January 2014, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2014 Australian Open men’s singles after losing to Stan Wawrinka.
• On June 8, 2014, he became runner-up to Nadal, the 2014 French Open men’s singles champion.
• On July 6, 2014, he became the 2014 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles champion by beating Federer in the final.
• On July 12, 2014, he and Ristić got married on Sveti Stefan in Montenegro.
• In September 2014, he finished in the semifinals of the 2013 U.S. Open men’s singles after losing to Kei Nishikori.
• On October 21, 2014, Ristić gave birth to their son Stefan Djokovic in Nice, France.

2015

• On February 1, 2015, he became the 2015 Australian Open men’s singles champion by beating Murray in the final.
• On June 7, 2015, he became runner-up to Wawrinka, the 2015 French Open men’s singles champion.
• On July 12, 2015, he became the 2015 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles champion by beating Federer in the final.
• On September 13, 2015, he became the 2015 U.S. Open men’s singles champion by beating Federer in the final.

2016

• On January 31, 2016, he became the 2016 Australian Open men’s singles champion by beating Murray in the final.
• On June 5, 2016, he became the 2016 French Open men’s singles champion by beating Murray in the final.
• In August 2016, he and Nenad Zimonjić represented Serbia at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and finished in the second round after losing to Brazil’s Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares.
• On September 11, 2016, he became runner-up to Wawrinka, the 2016 U.S. Open men’s singles champion.

2017

• In June 2017, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2017 French Open men’s singles champion after losing to Dominic Thiem.
• In July 2017, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles champion after losing to Tomáš Berdych.
• On September 2, 2017, Ristić gave birth to their daughter Tara Djokovic.

2018

• In June 2018, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2018 French Open men’s singles after losing to Marco Cecchinato.
• In July 2018, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles after losing to Kei Nishikori.
• In September 2018, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2018 U.S. Open men’s singles after losing to John Millman.

2019

• On January 27, 2019, he became the 2015 Australian Open men’s singles champion by beating Nadal in the final.
• In June 2019, he finished in the semifinals of the 2019 French Open men’s singles after losing to Thiem.
• On July 14, 2019, he became the 2015 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles champion by beating Federer in the final.

2020

• On February 2, 2020, he became the 2020 Australian Open men’s singles champion by beating Thiem in the final.
• On October 11, 2020, he became runner-up to Nadal, the 2020 French Open men’s singles champion.

2021

• On February 21, 2021, he became the 2021 Australian Open men’s singles champion by beating Daniil Medvedev in the final.
• On June 13, 2021, he became the 2021 French Open men’s singles champion by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.
• On July 11, 2021, he became the 2015 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles champion by beating Matteo Berrettini in the final.
• On September 12, 2021, he became runner-up to Medmedev, the 2021 U.S. Open men’s singles champion.

2022

• In January 2022, he was not able to defend his title at 2022 Australian Open because his visa was cancelled shortly before the tournament began.
• In May 2022, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2022 U.S. Open men’s singles after losing to Nadal.
• On July 10, 2022, he became the 2022 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles champion by beating Nick Kyrgios in the final.

2023

• On January 29, 2023, he became the 2023 Australian Open men’s singles champion by beating Tsitsipas in the final.
• On June 11, 2023, he became the 2023 French Open men’s singles champion by beating Casper Ruud in the final.
• On July 16, 2023, he was runner-up to 2023 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles champion Carlos Alcaraz.
• In September 2023, he became the 2023 U.S. Open men’s singles champion after beating Medvedev in the final.

2024

• In January 2024, he finished in the semifinals of the 2024 Australian Open men’s singles after losing to Jannik Sinner.
• In June 2024, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2024 French Open men’s singles after losing to Ruud.
• In July 2024, he finished in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles.

2025

• In January 2025, he finished in the semifinals of the 2025 Australian Open men’s singles after losing to Alexander Zverev.
• In June 2025, he finished in the semifinals of the 2025 French Open men’s singles after losing to Sinner.
• In July 2025, he finished in the semifinals of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships men’s singles after losing to Sinner.