Novak Djokovic Biography: Early Life, Career, Stats, Titles, Wife, Children & Net Worth

Novak Djokovic (born May 22, 1987 in Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia is a Serbian tennis player regarded as one of the greatest men’s players in history. His 24 Grand Slam singles titles, including an unprecedented 10 Australian Open wins, set a men’s record. Djokovic is considered one of the top returners in the game, and he is also noted for his backhand stroke and physical endurance.

He is the only man to have won three Career Grand Slams and two Career Golden Masters. The Serbian won the coveted Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics after winning bronze in Beijing in 2008.

Djokovic has been a strong force in men’s tennis, frequently contending with other great players like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and they are usually considered as the “Big Three.”

Novak Djokovic Biography

Novak Djokovic was born on May 22, 1987, in Belgrade, Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia, to Dijana (née Žagar) and Srdjan Djokovic. His father is Serbian, and his mother is Croatian. His younger brothers, Marko and Djordje, are also prominent tennis players.

Djokovic started playing tennis at the age of four, when his parents got him a mini-racket and a soft foam ball, which his father described as “the most beloved toy in his life.” His parents later sent him to a tennis camp in Novi Sad.

In the summer of 1993, as a six-year-old, he met Jelena Genčić at a tennis camp she was managing at Mount Kopaonik: 21-26, where Djokovic’s parents had a fast-food restaurant. Genčić worked with Djokovic for six years, pushing him to hit his backhand with two hands instead of his idol, Pete Sampras.

Career

Novak Djokovic, who was born in Serbia, may have had a difficult childhood, but it has not stopped him from becoming a legend. Djokovic had a successful junior career (2001-2003), winning European championships in singles and doubles, as well as an ITF World Junior Championship silver medal.

He turned professional in 2003 and quickly rose through the ranks. During his early career (2003-2005), he won his first ATP and Challenger titles, made his Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open, and won his first Grand Slam match in the French Open.

His athletic breakthrough occurred between 2006 and 2009. In 2006, he won his first ATP championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the French Open. The next year, 2007, he won his first Masters title, advanced to his first major final at the US Open, and entered the top three.

In 2008, he won his first Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open and won the ATP Finals. By the next year, 2009, Djokovic’s consistency was clear, as he had reached ten finals and won five tournaments. The 2010s established Djokovic’s status among the tennis elite.

In 2010, he reached the US Open final and helped Serbia win its first Davis Cup title. The 2011 season is regarded as one of the finest in tennis history, with Djokovic winning three Majors, a then-record five Masters titles, and a dominating record against his main competitors. In 2012, the Serbian star won the Australian Open and the ATP Finals, as well as the French Open title match.

In 2013, he won the Australian Open and the year-end ATP Finals, followed by Wimbledon and another ATP Finals championship in 2014. Djokovic had another outstanding season in 2015, reaching 15 consecutive finals, winning a record 10 Big Titles, and breaking records for ranking points and wins over top-10 players. In 2016, he completed the ‘Nole Slam’ by holding all four major titles at the same time, as well as four Masters titles, but was later sidelined due to injury and lost his top ranking.

An elbow injury forced him to miss the most of the 2017 season. He returned from surgery in 2018, winning Wimbledon and the US Open while also completing the Career Golden Masters.

In 2019, Djokovic won his eighth Australian Open and fifth Wimbledon championships. In the 2020s, Djokovic continued to smash records. In 2020, he won the Australian Open and his second Career Golden Masters, but there was also controversy regarding the Adria Tour and a US Open default.

Djokovic had another spectacular season in 2021, winning major titles at the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon, completing a Surface Slam, and gaining the year-end No. 1 position for a record seventh time.

His immunisation status had a big impact on the 2022 season, prompting him to miss the Australian and US Opens, but he did win Wimbledon and the ATP Finals. In 2023, he won a record-breaking 24th major title at the French Open, as well as his seventh ATP Finals title, and spent 400 weeks at No. 1.

In 2024, he won his first Olympic gold medal, completing a career sweep of the major championships, and became the oldest ATP No. 1. Despite a poor start, plagued by a muscle strain that led him to quit from the Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev, the 2025 season has already seen him establish new records.

The Serbian has now won the most major main-draw singles matches (434), overtaking Roger Federer (429) at the Australian Open. Djokovic subsequently surpassed Rafael Nadal (410) for the most Masters 1000-level wins at that year’s Miami Open, reaching the title match before being defeated by protege Jakub Mensik, denying him his 100th victory.

Djokovic won the elusive 100th title at the Geneva Open in May 2025, defeating Hubert Hurkacz 5-7, 7-6(2), 7-6(2) in the final. As of June 2025, Novak Djokovic had won 100 ATP Tour titles. This is third in the Open Era, trailing only Jimmy Connors (109), and Roger Federer (103).

The 2026 Novak Djokovic tennis season officially began on January 18, 2026, with the start of the 2026 Australian Open, following his withdrawal from his first scheduled tournament, the 2026 Adelaide International.

Throughout the season, Novak Djokovic ties Roger Federer and Feliciano Lopez for the most Grand Slam appearances at the 2026 Australian Open, with 81. Djokovic now has 21 Australian Open singles appearances, tying Roger Federer’s record. Djokovic wins over 100 singles matches in three different Grand Slam events, setting a new record.

Novak Djokovic Wife

He met his future wife, Jelena Ristić, in high school and started dating in 2005. The pair became engaged in September 2013, and they married on Montenegro’s Sveti Stefan island on July 10, 2014, at the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Stephen.

He and Ristić welcomed their first child, a boy, in October 2014. Their daughter was born in 2017.

Novak Djokovic Net Worth

Novak Djokovic’s net worth is expected to be $240 million by March 2025. His income is mostly derived from his on-court accomplishments and endorsements, with a career prize money of around $188 million as of September 2025.

Social Media

Instagram: @djokernole