When you think about the GOAT (Greatest of all time) of Tennis, who do you think of? 10-15 years ago people would likely be thinking of the renowned Roger Federer, 10 years ago Federer or maybe even Rafael Nadal. Even in 2018-2019, the general consensus is likely to have been for these same two players with perhaps a small shout or two for the rising Novak Djokovic. In present times(2025) the widely accepted king of tennis is most definitely Novak Djokovic. Djokovic has shown that he can still compete competitively against players nearly half his age despite fighting injuries, go deep into tournaments, play long 3-setter matches, and maintain the hunger and passion for his game. I am personally inspired by his passion for tennis. Today, we will be looking at his journey.

Achievements

Djokovic has an amazing list of achievements at the highest level of tennis tournaments which makes it even more amazing

He has won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, surpassing his main rivals Federer (20) and Nadal (22)

With 40 “ATP Masters 1000 titles” and 7 ATP Finals titles, he has won more than Federer and Nadal respectively

Being the “Best in the World” which goes by the World No. 1 ranking, is another area where Djokovic has done better than Federer and Nadal. He was World No. 1 for 428 weeks across 13 different years, and finished as year-end World No. 1 a record 8 times. 

His versatility across surfaces is visible as he is the only man to hold all four major titles simultaneously on three different surfaces and to complete a triple Career Grand Slam by winning each major at least three times. 

Head-to-head win-loss records against Federer and Nadal are sometimes considered a measure of his skill versus his toughest opponents. These intensely competitive encounters have spanned over 12 – 15 years.  Over this period he has beaten Federer and Nadal more times than he has lost to them. 

This is a testament to his dominance over the other members of the “Big Three” in terms of overall win statistics and head-to-head wins. 

Beyond statistics, Djokovic’s unnerving determination and mental strength are legendary, exemplified by his comeback from two match points down to win the 2019 Wimbledon final against Federer, inspiring fans worldwide. 

In my opinion, his consistency, versatility, and resilience-even at age 37-cements his case as the Tennis GOAT.

How early did Djokovic start to play tennis?

Srdjan and Dijana Djokovic were blessed with a baby whom they named Novak on May 22, 1987 in Belgrade. They were owners of a modest sports equipment store and a pizza parlour at the Kopaonik Ski Resort. At the age of four Novak started playing tennis with a small racket and foam ball. Jelena Genčić discovered when he was 6 years old. Djokovic has in interviews referred to Jelena Genčić as his ‘Tennis Mother and Mentor’. She was holding a tennis camp in the tennis centre across the road from their pizzeria. Novak was looking through the grill, and on seeing him, she invited him to play. She spotted his potential and told his parents. His parents were not tennis players, but they supported his interest despite their financial situation and sometimes had to take loans with high interest to pay for his training. Djokovic mentions that he believes that his meeting with Jelena Genčić was destiny.

Djokovic’s initial training was in hard circumstances due to the Yugoslav Wars, with Belgrade being bombarded by NATO, the family would need to take refuge at night. He had to train in temporary facilities.

These circumstances led him to be tenacious, which he has said in interviews, shaped him to be who he is, especially as he deeply valued his family's sacrifices in the face of adversity.

Now, what did the start of his Tennis career look like? How did he perform on the Junior circuit? 

Djokovic showed promise as a junior tennis player. As an under-14-year-old player:

• He led the Serbian team to victory in the European Summer Cup 

• Was the winner of the 2001 U14 European Championship singles & doubles titles 

• In 2001 he was the top-ranked U14 player, ahead of future rival Andy Murray

• Djokovic won a silver medal in team competition at the ITF World Junior Championship

In addition, Djokovic's best junior Grand Slam achievement was a semifinal appearance at the 2004 Australian Open juniors. 

He performed well on the ITF Junior Circuit with a solid 56–12 singles record, his junior world ranking was 24 in February 2004.

When did he turn Pro?

Djokovic transitioned to playing professionally at the age of 15. At first, he was granted wildcards in Futures tournaments. Very soon he won his first ATP Challenger tournament in 2024, and that year also won his first Davis Cup match.

He played his first Grand Slam in 2005 (2 years after turning professional) at the Australian Open. He moved up the ranking fast and by the end of 2005 he was ranked No. 78. In part, as he had progressed as far as the third round in US Open and Wimbledon. 

This shows how quickly he established himself as a professional tennis player.

2007 was pivotal for Djokovic, being the youngest player to win the Miami Open Masters 1000 championship and reaching his first Grand Slam semifinal at the French Open.

This paved the way for him in 2008 to win his first Grand Slam, the Australian Open against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the age of 20, just 3 years after playing his first Grand Slam match in 2025.

There was a slow period between 2008  and 2010. In December 2010 he led Serbia to its first Davis Cup title, which started a winning streak of 43 matches and his journey to being the world No. 1. 

In 2011, Djokovic won three Grand Slam titles-the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and US Open-solidifying his status at the top. He had to wait till 2016 to win a French Open title to complete his Career Grand Slam. 

Novak Djokovic was now an established force on the tennis scene, holding multiple records along with a formidable reputation.

However, all was not well for Djokovic, he was struggling with physical exhaustion, and he battled health issues. He even had to leave the court during the 2010 Australian Open.

He then made a lifestyle shift, especially related to his diet, guided by Dr. Igor Cetojevic, who identified gluten, dairy, and refined sugar in Djokovic’s traditional Serbian diet as causes of his fatigue. Djokovic decided to change to a gluten-free, plant-based diet. It worked, and his energy, endurance, and recovery improved a lot, and was key to his sustained success and rediscovering his form. His was very disciplined about his nutrition plan. The plan focused on light, nutrient-rich meals to maximize performance and recovery. Djokovic believes that this was the single most important change he made, which set him up for a long tennis career and helped keep him in peak physical condition on court.

How Djokovic focused on himself

After changing his diet, he saw immediate benefits which included better sleep, more energy, and enhanced endurance. He had completely cut out gluten and he also took out dairy and sweets, which improved his respiratory health and recuperation by lowering inflammation. Plant based diet was his primary goto e.g. food which was easy to digest and high in nutrients, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. 

Djokovic understood that what he puts in his body is directly linked to his success on court. This philosophy was something he stood by during Covid-19. He believed that the vaccines were not good for his body. He made a decision to not take any Covid vaccine as he didn’t want to ruin his body’s systems. It was a tough decision, which did cost him too. In January 2022, he was deported from Australia on the grounds of not being vaccinated for Covid-19, and he could not participate in the Australian Open. But he was back in Australia in 2023 and won the Australian Open. Which he has described as one of the greatest wins of his life.

He added an Olympic gold medal to his tally in Paris in 2024. He completed the career Golden Slam and added this final significant honour to his collection. 

Djokovic is still playing competitively into his late 30s. His mental toughness, physical conditioning, discipline and eating regimen are key success factors. 

What is he doing now?

Novak Djokovic loves tennis and will continue to play in 2025 perhaps with a schedule more oriented towards Grand Slams. Where he hopes to add to his record 24 Grand Slam victories. He reached the semi finals of the Australian Open 2025 but unfortunately had to retire due to an injury. Which shows he can still on the younger generation of tennis players. He has had to confront some mixed results after AO 2025. 

In light of his age he wanted to continue playing competitively by focussing on Grand Slams and representing Serbia, in the Davis Cup to protect his body. Even at 37 he has the drive to compete and the belief that he can "go full throttle" in 2025. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, Novak Djokovic's career is among the most remarkable in tennis history. With 40 Masters 1000 trophies, seven year-end titles, and 99 singles victories—including a record 24 Grand Slams—he has redefined brilliance on all levels and across the ages. He is the GOAT of the ‘Big Three” which is no small feat as between Djokovic, Federer and Nadal they have been ranked World No. 1 for 947 weeks = 18 years. 

He is an inspiration to the new generation of players, including me. I saw him play in Wimbledon and am inspired by his commitment, discipline and self-belief. I believe that Tennis is more than a game, and it teaches life lessons. I am inspired by the courage Djokovic has shown as a person and tennis player, his ability to face challenges and come back , his commitment to take hard decisions and his passion for tennis. It shows me how achieving one's dream involves a lot of hard work, discipline, focus, sacrifice and courage.

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