Everything to know about Novak Djokovic, who rose from war-torn Belgrade to tennis immortality, exploring the GOAT's relentless drive, record-breaking achievements and personal life. Who is Novak Djokovic? Novak Djokovic, born on May 22, 1987, is a Serbian professional tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. He holds the record for the most weeks as world number one (428) and has finished as the year-end number one a record eight times. Djokovic has won a record 24 major men's singles titles, including a record ten Australian Open titles, and boasts a total of 99 singles titles. He is the only man to have achieved a triple Career Grand Slam and a Career Golden Masters, which he has accomplished twice. The Serbian notched an elusive Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, having claimed a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Djokovic has been a dominant force in men's tennis, often contending with other great players like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and they are usually regarded as the “Big Three”. Off the court, he's known for his philanthropic efforts and has been involved in various social initiatives, notably assuming a role as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2015 through his Novak Djokovic Foundation. Novak Djokovic Age Novak Djokovic was born on May 22, 1987, and is 37 years old (as of April 2025). Novak Djokovic Height Novak Djokovic is 6 feet 2 inches (1.88m) tall. Where was Novak Djokovic born? Novak Djokovic was born in Belgrade, Serbia. At the time of his birth on May 22, 1987, Belgrade was part of Yugoslavia. When did Novak Djokovic start playing tennis? Novak Djokovic began playing tennis at the age of four. His parents gave him a mini-racket and a soft foam ball, which his father described as his "most beloved toy". They subsequently enrolled him in a tennis camp in Novi Sad. When did Novak Djokovic turn pro? Novak Djokovic turned professional in 2003. Novak Djokovic Early Life Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, on May 22, 1987, Novak Djokovic started playing tennis at four after receiving a mini-racquet and foam ball. Djokovic started playing tennis at four after receiving a mini-racket and foam ball. At six, he attended a tennis camp run by Jelena Gencic, who played a crucial role in his early development, including advising him to use a two-handed backhand. Gencic recognised his talent and connected him with Nikola Pilic, leading Djokovic to move to Pilic’s tennis academy in Germany at age 12, where he trained for four years. During the Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001) in the late 1990s, Djokovic trained under difficult circumstances, sometimes in a converted swimming pool. His father took out loans to fund his tennis education, creating pressure for him to succeed. Djokovic believes this pressure contributed to his ability to perform under stress. Novak Djokovic Biography Novak Djokovic, born in Serbia, may have endured a challenging childhood, but that has not prevented the Serbian from achieving greatness. In his junior years (2001-2003), Djokovic achieved significant success, winning European championships in singles and doubles, and an ITF World Junior Championship silver medal. He turned professional in 2003, quickly rising through the ranks. His early career (2003-2005) saw him gain his first ATP victory and Challenger title, make his Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open and achieve his first Grand Slam match win at the French Open. The period from 2006 to 2009 marked his breakthrough in the sport. In 2006, he won his first ATP title and reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the French Open. The following year, 2007, saw him win his first Masters title, reach his first major final at the US Open and break into the top 3. In 2008, he won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and claimed the ATP Finals title. By the following year, 2009, Djokovic’s consistency was already evident as he reached 10 finals and claimd five titles. The 2010s cemented Djokovic's place among the tennis elite. In 2010, he reached the US Open final and was instrumental in Serbia winning its first Davis Cup title. The 2011 season is considered one of the greatest in tennis history, with Djokovic winning three Majors, a then-record five Masters titles and achieving a dominant record against his top rivals. In 2012, the Serbian star won the Australian Open and the ATP Finals; he also competed in the French Open title match. In 2013, he won the Australian Open and the year-end ATP Finals before adding Wimbledon and another ATP Finals title in 2014. The 2015 season was another exceptional year, with Djokovic reaching 15 consecutive finals, winning a record 10 Big Titles and setting records for ranking points and wins against top 10 players. In 2016, he achieved the 'Nole Slam' by holding all four major titles simultaneously and won four Masters titles, but later faced injury and lost the No. 1 ranking. The 2017 season was marred by an elbow injury, forcing him to take a hiatus. He returned in 2018 after surgery, winning Wimbledon and the US Open, and completing the Career Golden Masters. In 2019, Djokovic won his seventh Australian Open and fifth Wimbledon title. The 2020s have seen Djokovic continue to break records. In 2020, he won the Australian Open and his second Career Golden Masters, but also faced controversy due to the Adria Tour and a US Open default. The 2021 season was another stellar year, with Djokovic winning major titles at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, achieving a Surface Slam, and securing the year-end No. 1 ranking for a record seventh time. The 2022 season was significantly impacted by his vaccination status, causing him to miss the Australian and US Opens, but he still won Wimbledon and the ATP Finals. In 2023, he won a record-breaking 24th major title at the French Open and his seventh ATP Finals title, also reaching 400 weeks at No. 1. In 2024, he won his first Olympic gold medal, completing a career sweep of the Big Titles, and became the oldest ATP No. 1. Despite its slow start, hampered by a muscle tear that forced a semi-final withdrawal at the Aussie Open against Alexander Zverev, the 2025 season has already seen him break more records. The Serbian star now has the most major main-draw singles matches (434), surpassing Roger Federer (429) at the Aussie Open. Djokovic then eclipsed Rafael Nadal (410) for the most Masters 1000-level wins in said year’s Miami Open, reaching the title match, where he was beaten by mentee Jakub Mensik, thus denying him his 100th title. Novak Djokovic Rivals Novak Djokovic has a remarkable record against his contemporaries, especially the other two members of the Big Three: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, or the Big Four if Andy Murray is included, all of whom he faced numerous times in thrilling matches. His other rivals include Stan Wawrinka, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Juan Martin del Potro, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem and Carlos Alcaraz. Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal The Djokovic-Nadal rivalry is the most prolific in Open Era men's tennis, with 60 encounters where Djokovic leads 31-29. Djokovic has dominated their matches on hard courts (20-7), while Nadal leads on clay (20-9), and they are tied on grass (2-2). Notably, the Serbian is the only player to defeat Nadal in all four Grand Slam tournaments and has achieved significant victories over the Spaniard on clay courts. Their epic 2012 Australian Open final lasted nearly six hours, setting records for length and intensity. Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer Novak Djokovic’s rivalry with Federer is considered one of the greatest in tennis history. They faced each other 50 times, with the Serb edging their head-to-head 27-23, including 13 wins in finals. Djokovic secured victories at key events like Wimbledon, where their 2019 final is noted as the longest in history at SW19. Overall, Djokovic holds the record for most wins over Federer, often defeating him at Grand Slam settings. Novak Djokovic vs Andy Murray Djokovic and Murray faced off 36 times, with the Serbian 25-11 in those contests. Both players have competed in all four major finals. Their rivalry was marked by close contests, including dramatic matches at major tournaments, with Djokovic often winning the tighter encounters. A noteworthy classic was the 2012 Shanghai Masters final, where the Serb snapped Murray’s 12-0 record to defeat the defending champion to record his first victory at the tournament. Djokovic saved five championship points en route to a 5–7, 7–6(11), 6–3 triumph. Novak Djokovic vs Stan Wawrinka Though Djokovic has a favourable record against Wawrinka (21-6), their matches are known for their competitiveness, including four five-setters in Grand Slam events. Their rivalry includes Wawrinka defeating Djokovic in Slam finals and Djokovic avenging those losses in subsequent years. Novak Djokovic vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga In their rivalry, Djokovic led 17-6 after 23 meetings. Their matches started at the 2008 Australian Open final, where Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title. Tsonga managed to upset Djokovic at the 2010 Australian Open quarter-finals but was generally outplayed in their encounters. Novak Djokovic vs Juan Martin del Potro Djokovic had a 16-4 record against del Potro across 20 meetings. Their rivalry featured memorable matches, especially Djokovic's win at the 2013 Wimbledon semifinals and a dramatic final at the 2018 US Open, where the Serbian won his 14th Grand Slam title. Novak Djokovic vs Daniil Medvedev Djokovic leads 10-5 in their 15 encounters, including three crucial Grand Slam finals where he has won two and lost one, notably the 2021 US Open final, where Medvedev claimed his first major title. Novak Djokovic vs Stefanos Tsitsipas Djokovic holds a commanding 12-2 lead over Tsitsipas after 14 meetings. Tsitsipas achieved an early upset in their first match, but Djokovic has since dominated, including crucial contests at the French Open — winning from two sets down — and the Australian Open title matches. Novak Djokovic vs Alexander Zverev Of their 13 encounters, Djokovic leads 8-5. Zverev upset Djokovic in their first meeting at the 2017 Italian Open, but Djokovic has triumphed in more significant matches, including a five-set nail-biter at the 2021 US Open semi-finals. Novak Djokovic vs Dominic Thiem Despite Djokovic’s 7-5 lead over the retired Thiem, their matches were evenly contested. Notable encounters included tight matches at the majors, with each player winning key encounters. Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz Despite their age difference, Djokovic leads Alcaraz 5-3 in their rivalry. Their thrilling encounters include significant matches in 2023, with Alcaraz defeating Djokovic at consecutive Wimbledon title matches in 2023 and 2024 and Djokovic avenging this at the Olympics final later that summer at the Paris Olympics. They also met at the 2025 Australian Open, where Djokovic won in four sets. Novak Djokovic Coach Novak Djokovic's current coach is Andy Murray, his former rival, who retired from playing in 2024. The pair's partnership began in November 2024, with the Brit expected to be in situ for the 2025 Australian Open. They have since extended Murray's stay at the 2025 Sunshine Swing and possibly until after Wimbledon. Some of Djokovic's prominent coaches include Jelena Gencic, who worked with the Serb in his formative years, Nikola Pilic, who refined the legendary player's technique, Boris Becker, Andre Agassi and Goran Ivanisevic. Novak Djokovic Ranking Novak Djokovic is ranked No. 5 by the ATP Tour (as of April 2, 2025). The Serbian, who has held the No. 1 ranking for a record 428 weeks and finished year-end No. 1 eight times, was dethroned by Jannik Sinner after the 2024 Roland Garros. Novak Djokovic Prize Money Novak Djokovic's career prize money is $186,885,509. This places him atop the all-time standings, ahead of Rafael Nadal ($134,946,100) and Roger Federer ($130,594,339). Novak Djokovic Titles As of April 2025, Novak Djokovic has won 99 titles on the ATP Tour. This ranks third in the Open Era, behind Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103). Djokovic has claimed 24 Grand Slam titles, 40 Masters 1000 victories, 27 crowns across ATP 500 and 250 tournaments and notched a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Serbian superstar has also secured seven ATP Finals triumphs, bringing him to 99 times. Grand Slams Australian Open (10 titles): 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 French Open (3 titles): 2016, 2021, 2023 Wimbledon (7 titles): 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 US Open (4 titles): 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells Open (5 Titles): 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016 Miami Open (6 Titles): 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 Monte-Carlo Masters (2 Titles): 2013, 2015 Madrid Open (3 Titles): 2011, 2016, 2019 Italian Open (Rome) (6 Titles): 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2022 Canadian Open (Canada) (4 Titles): 2007, 2011, 2012, 2016 Cincinnati Open (3 Titles): 2018, 2020, 2023 Shanghai Masters (4 Titles): 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018 Paris Masters (7 Titles): 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023 Year-end ATP Finals ATP Finals (7 titles): 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2023 Novak Djokovic Records Novak Djokovic has an exhaustive list of records and achievements, some of which have been included in appropriate categories. Grand Slam Records: Most Grand Slam singles titles (men's): 24Most Australian Open singles titles (men's): 10Only man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam (winning each Grand Slam at least three times)Most Grand Slam final appearances (men's): 37Only man to be the reigning champion of all four majors at once across three different surfacesMost Grand Slam singles matches won before turning 30: 229Most Grand Slam singles matches played: 430Most wins at the Australian Open: 96Best winning percentage at the Australian Open after turning 30: 95%Longest Grand Slam tournament winning streak: 30 wins (2015-2016) Most weeks ranked as ATP World No. 1: 428Most different years ranked as ATP World No. 1: 13Most year-end No. 1 finishes: 8Oldest ATP No. 1 Most ATP Masters 1000 singles titles: 40Only player to complete a Career Golden Masters (winning all nine ATP Masters 1000 events at least once)Only player to complete a Double Career Golden Masters (winning all nine ATP Masters 1000 events at least twice)Most ATP Masters 1000 match wins: 411Most ATP Masters 1000 finals: 60Most ATP Masters 1000 semifinals: 78Most ATP Masters 1000 matches played: 502 Most ATP Finals titles: 7 Only player to complete a Career Golden Slam in men's singles (winning all four Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal)Oldest gold medalist in men's tennis singles history at the Olympic Games (Paris 2024)Only player to complete a career sweep of the Big Titles (Grand Slams, ATP Finals, Masters 1000s, and Olympic gold medal) Most "Big Titles" won (Grand Slams, ATP Finals, Masters 1000s, Olympics): 72Only man to hold all four Grand Slam singles titles at the same time since Rod Laver's 1969 calendar Grand SlamFirst Serbian player to be ranked No. 1 by the ATPFirst male player representing Serbia to win a Grand Slam singles titleOnly player to win each Grand Slam tournament at least three times Best start to a season winning streak: 41 matches in 2011Most consecutive championship titles in a season: 4 titles at the start of 2011Longest winning streak: 43 matches (2010-2011)Longest winning streak in Australia: 43 matches (2019-2024)Longest indoor winning streak: 38 matches (2012-2015)Longest winning streak in China: 28 matches (2012-2014) Highest career prize money earnings: US $186,287,619Most wins over top-10 ranked playersITF World Champion: 8 times (2011-2015, 2018, 2021, 2023)ATP Player of the Year: 8 times (2011-2012, 2014-2015, 2018, 2020-2021, 2023)Only player to win at least four titles in each eligible tournament month of the yearHas won titles across four continents (Europe, North America, Australia, Asia)Has won titles on every playing surface (grass, indoor hard, clay, outdoor hard)Member of Serbia's winning Davis Cup team: 2010Member of Serbia's winning ATP Cup team: 2020Youngest player to have reached the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams in 2007-2008 Novak Djokovic Guinness World Records Some of Novak Djokovic’s Guinness World Records include: Most Grand Slam singles tennis titles won (male)Most Grand Slam singles tennis finals contested (male)First tennis player to achieve a “Triple Career Grand Slam” (male)First tennis player to achieve an open-era “Double Career Grand Slam” (male)Most consecutive men's Grand Slam Singles tennis titles (open era)Most consecutive Grand Slam singles matches won (male, open era)Most Australian Open tennis singles titles won (male)Most Australian Open singles titles won (open era)First tennis player to win three successive Australian Open titlesMost weeks ranked number one in singles tennis (male)First player to achieve a “Career Golden Masters”Most ATP Masters 1000 singles titles won in a careerMost ATP Masters 1000 singles titles won in a seasonMost ATP Masters 1000 singles finals in a seasonMost consecutive Masters 1000 matches wonMost wins of the ATP Finals (singles)Oldest winner at the ATP Finals (singles)First male tennis player to win a Grand Slam singles title in three different decades (open era)First player to win a Wimbledon men's singles final after saving match points (open era)First Grand Slam men's singles final to feature a final-set tie-breakMost ATP Tour singles matches between two players (open era)Most tennis Grand Slam meetings (singles)Most consecutive Grand Slam singles final losses by a man [Nadal to Djokovic]Most ATP Player of the Year awards wonLongest Grand Slam tennis finalLongest Wimbledon singles finalHighest earnings in a tennis seasonHighest earnings in a tennis career (male)Highest earnings in a tennis season (male)Most prize money won by a tennis player at a single tournament Novak Djokovic Professional Awards ITF World Champion (8): 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2021, 2023ATP Player of the Year (8): 2011, 2012,2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023ATP Most Improved Player of the Year (2): 2006, 2007ATP Comeback Player of the Year: 2018Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year: 2012Davis Cup Commitment Award Novak Djokovic Parents Novak Djokovic's parents are Srdjan Djokovic (father) and Dijana Djokovic (mother, nee Zagar). They played a significant role in supporting his early tennis career. Novak Djokovic Wife Novak Djokovic's wife is Jelena Ristic. They began their relationship in 2005 and got engaged in September 2013. The couple married on July 10, 2014, on Sveti Stefan island in Montenegro and have two children: a son born in October 2014 and a daughter born in 2017. Novak Djokovic Net Worth Novak Djokovic's net worth is estimated to be $240 million, making him one of the wealthiest tennis players — past and present. Djokovic has earned a significant amount of money through prize money from tournament wins and is the top earner in tennis history. The Serbian also has lucrative endorsement deals with various global brands and has engaged in business activities, such as his Novak Djokovic Foundation and investments. Novak Djokovic Instagram Novak Djokovic is active on Instagram (@djokernole) and X, formerly Twitter (@DjokerNole). The Serb shares photos and videos of his tennis career, family life and endorsements while connecting with fans as best he can.