Novak Djoković stands alone at the summit of tennis history. However, the Serbian star overcame immense hardships to reach this level. For instance, he practiced in empty swimming pools while bombs fell on his city. Furthermore, he completely transformed his career by changing his diet. Consequently, his mental strength is just as impressive as his forehand. Therefore, serve up some secrets about the world number one. You will respect his game even more.
Novak Djoković
Novak Djoković grew up during the NATO bombings. Specifically, he and his family sheltered in basements in Belgrade in 1999 while planes flew overhead.
He trained in an empty swimming pool. Because tennis courts were scarce and damaged during the war, his first coach found a drained pool for him to practice his strokes.
A doctor diagnosed his gluten intolerance with a slice of bread. Creatively, the doctor pressed bread against Djoković’s stomach to test his strength, which dropped immediately.
He is a talented polyglot. Impressively, he speaks Serbian, English, French, German, and Italian fluently to communicate with his global fanbase.
Fans call him “The Djoker” for a reason. Early in his career, he frequently amused the crowd by performing funny impressions of players like Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova.
He holds the record for weeks at number one. Remarkably, he surpassed Steffi Graf to spend more time at the top of the rankings than any player in history.
A woman discovered his talent. Jelena Genčić noticed him watching through a fence and immediately declared him the greatest talent she had seen since Monica Seles.
He follows a strict plant-based diet. Although he dislikes the label “vegan,” he eats absolutely no animal products to maintain his energy and recovery levels.
Officials disqualified him from the US Open. Accidentally, he hit a line judge with a ball in frustration, which ended his tournament run instantly in 2020.
He finally completed the Career Golden Slam. After many attempts, he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in Paris to win the elusive Olympic Gold Medal in 2024.
A rumor claimed he bought the world’s supply of donkey cheese. However, he later denied the story that he purchased the expensive cheese for his restaurants.
Experts call him “Spiderman.” Because he stretches constantly, he can slide and do full splits on hard courts to reach impossible shots.
He founded the Novak Djoković Foundation. Passionately, he focuses on early childhood education to help children in Serbia reach their full potential.
The government deported him from Australia. Due to his vaccination status, authorities detained him and eventually sent him home before the 2022 Australian Open.
Finally, he broke the Federer-Nadal dominance. Initially, he struggled to beat them in majors, but he eventually overtook both rivals to claim the most Grand Slam titles.
