If you're a fan of tennis, you've probably heard of the name Novak Djokovic. Wondering what this tennis star aspires to? Let's take a closer look at Novak Djokovic and discover why he's an icon in the world of tennis!
Frequently asked questions about Novak Djokovic
Q: Who is Novak Djokovic?
A: Djokovic is one of the greatest athletes of all time. The Serbian tennis star has won 24 Grand Slam titles and currently holds the longest reign as world number one.
Q: Where is Djokovic from?
A: Djokovic was born on May 22, 1987 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Q: How tall is Djokovic?
A: I am about 188cm tall.
Q: Is Djokovic a vegan?
A: Djokovic is well known for his vegetarian and gluten-free diet, and while he doesn't like being labeled as a vegan, he generally abstains from eating meat, fish, and animal products.
Q: Does Djokovic have any children?
A: Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, have two children: Stefan (born October 2014) and Tara (born September 2017).
Q: How many Grand Slam titles has Djokovic won?
A: Djokovic has won 24 men's singles Grand Slam titles and has won the Australian Open a record 10 times.
Q: What kind of tennis racket does Djokovic use?
A: Djokovic uses a "HEAD PT 346.1 pro stock racket" with some unique customizations.
Q: How many times has Djokovic won Wimbledon?
A: 7 times
Q: How many titles has Djokovic won?
A: I have won 96 career singles titles, including 69 major titles (24 majors, 39 Masters and six year-end championships).
Q: Why is Djokovic called Nole?
A: As you may have noticed on his social media accounts (@djokernole on Instagram), Djokovic sometimes uses the name Nole, which is a common nickname for Novak in Serbian.
Novak Djokovic Interview We spoke with Djokovic to find out more about his training, routine and hobbies.
As one of the greatest athletes of all time, how do you push yourself? How do you keep pushing yourself to the limits?
Djokovic on the tennis court: Djokovic: First of all, I have been conscious of my goals. I have always wanted to win every tournament I enter and to become the best player in the world. Naturally, the expectations and pressure that come with that are great, but they have also been my driving force and have motivated me throughout my career.
From an early age, I knew I wanted to give my all to tennis and to a career as a professional athlete. Tennis requires a lot of time away from home and can sometimes feel lonely. But those moments are the perfect opportunity to strengthen your core and to define who you are and what you want to achieve. I try to stay focused on my goals and tell myself that I can achieve my dreams.
How do you deal with negative thoughts and emotions when you lose a match?
Djokovic: When I lose a match point or I'm just a few points away from losing, I feel like I'm going to lose, and I get all flustered. Sometimes it seems like you don't have moments of fear or self-doubt when you've been at the top for so long, but that's not true. Top athletes have those moments too, and I experience them as often as you do. What helps me deal with those moments is the experience of having been through them more than other players. And also the ability to control those negative emotions as best as you can when they come up.
I'm not always successful, but luckily for me, when times get tough or I feel like I'm about to give up, I always manage to get through them by believing in myself and my own strength.
How important do you think staying hydrated is to maintaining your performance? Also, how do you stay hydrated in your everyday life, both on and off the tennis court?
Djokovic hydrates from a waterdrop® bottleDjokovic: Hydration plays a very important role. It is a vital part of health, especially for professional athletes. As an athlete, you need to manage your daily intake of water, electrolytes, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, balance your diet with your training and recovery. This is something you need to be mindful of even when you are away from the tennis court.
If you want to be and stay the best in the world, you need to seriously consider every aspect of your life, your diet, and how hydration affects your performance. If you don't hydrate before a match, of course it will affect your performance. When you enter the court, you should already be well hydrated. As a professional athlete, you can't afford to become dehydrated. Of course, there are times when you can't do anything about the heat or harsh conditions, but hydration is very important for all athletes.
Can you tell us about your post-tournament training?
Djokovic: After a tournament, I focus on active recovery, using the properties of water to relax the joints and muscles that were overworked during the intense exercise during the tournament. I try to go to the sea or pool as much as possible. Massages also improve blood circulation and are effective in recovering from fatigue. To recover mentally, I cherish the time I spend with my loved ones and try to take a break from the world of tennis and enjoy quality time. It's important to have balance in everything!
What do you do to stay energized in your preparation for a competition, or to transition from your post-competition routine to competition preparation?
Djokovic: I make sure to stay hydrated, not only during the tour, but also after the tour. I make sure that I and those around me take in plenty of electrolytes, and of course nutrition and diet are also important factors. It's very important that I approach my health and well-being from multiple angles.
I like to take my time preparing for competitions. Before a competition, I spend a few days working out at the gym or outdoors jogging or cycling. The same goes for swimming. Being connected to nature, which I love, makes me feel stronger not only physically and mentally, but also emotionally.
From there, I gradually increase the intensity, do some isometric exercises, and then I go onto the tennis court and gradually increase the intensity of my training. The closer I get to the tournament, the more I want to see how good I am, so I play more. I move my body little by little, and get closer to the level I need to play my best in the tournament. So for now, I'm taking it easy. I'm making time to be in nature, to prepare mentally, and take the time to recuperate.
Do you have any hobbies other than tennis?
Djokovic: I love hiking. I grew up in the mountains in Serbia, so as a child I often climbed mountains and hills, and spent time in the forest. For me it's natural. I love being in nature, and if I don't feel nature for a few days, I feel lonely. I think it's very important. Of course, everything in life is relative, and everyone has different ideas, but I think we need to care more about nature.
Nature is a part of us and we are a part of nature. Walking in the park, swimming in the ocean, biking or kayaking. Soaking up the sunshine, being in nature and absorbing the nutrients I need. In a way, it helps me to recuperate. Nature brings me peace and tranquility and at the same time restores my energy. This is what gets me going again and again in the next competition.
Q: Where was Novak Djokovic born?
A: Novak Djokovic was born on 22 May 1987 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Q: How tall is Novak Djokovic?
A: 1.88m.
Q: Is Djokovic vegan?
A: Djokovic is famous for his plant-based and gluten-free diet. While he doesn't like to be labeled a vegan, Djokovic largely avoids eating meat, fish or using animal-based products.
Q: How many children do Djokovic have?
A: Novak and his wife Jelena have two children – a son named Stefan (born October 2014) and a daughter named Tara (born September 2017).
Q: How many Grand Slams has Djokovic won?
A: Novak has set an all-time record by winning 24 Grand Slam men's singles titles, including a record ten Australian Open titles.
Q: What racket does Novak Djokovic use?
A: Novak uses a HEAD PT 346.1 pro stock racket with secret custom elements.
Q: How many Wimbledons have Djokovic won?
A: 7
Q: How many titles does Novak Djokovic have?
A: Overall, he has won 96 singles titles, including a record 69 Big Titles (24 majors, 39 Masters and a joint-record six year-end championships).
Q: Why is Novak Djokovic called Nole?
A: As you may have observed from his social media handle (@djokernole on Instagram), Novak sometimes goes by the name Nole. Nole is a common nickname for the word Novak in Serbian language.
Interview with Novak “Nole” Djokovic
For the Novak fans and pros who already knew all the facts above and were hoping to learn a little more, you're in for a treat! We sat down with our beloved ambassador to learn more about his training, routine, and hobbies. Read on!
As one of the best athletes of all time, how do you push yourself? How do you constantly beat your limits?
Novak : It starts with the intention. My intention has always been to try and win every tournament I play in and also, to be the best player in the world. There is of course, a lot of expectations and pressure that goes along with that but I think that's also a driving force and something that has motivated me throughout my career.
From young, I knew I was ready to dedicate myself fully to tennis and the life of a professional athlete. In our sport, that involves a lot of time away from home, and sometimes, you can't help but feel lonely. But these are definitely the moments that strengthen your character, defining who you are, and what you'd like to achieve. In those moments, I choose to focus on my goals and tell myself my dreams are achievable.
How do you deal with negative thoughts/emotions in the face of defeat?
Novak : When your match points are down, or you're just a few points away from losing the match, you can't help but feel that you are close to losing and that plays with your mind. People sometimes think that when you've been at the top of your game for a long time, you don't have fear or moments where you doubt yourself anymore and that's just not true. We absolutely have them and I have them as much as anybody else, really. What helps me cope with these moments better is just the experience, having been in these situations more than most of the other players. That, and my ability to deal with these emotions in the best possible way when they surface.
It's not a guaranteed method and it doesn't always work but in my case, I'm fortunate that most of the times when I've had tough moments and been close to defeat, I've managed to turn things around through believing in myself and my abilities.
What role does hydration play in maintaining your performance? Or rather, how do you incorporate hydration into your daily routine, be it on or off the court?
Novak : Hydration plays an extremely important role. It's one of the most integral parts of health in general, but even more so as a professional athlete. As an athlete, you have to monitor the amount of liquids you take every day – whether it's water, electrolytes, minerals, vitamins, or antioxidants – and try to balance your diet with that plus training and recovery. It's really a full-time job, even when you're off the court.
If you want to be the best and stay the best in the world, you really have to think about every aspect of your life, your diet, and how hydration affects your performance. Needless to say, if you don't hydrate before a match, you're setting yourself up for failure because when you walk into the court, you should already feel well-hydrated and ready for your match. As a professional athlete, you should never allow yourself to get into situations where you are dehydrated. Of course, this can't be helped sometimes when it's in extreme heat, or you're in extreme conditions but hydration is super important to every athlete
Can you walk us through your post-tournament training?
Novak : Post-tournament, I'm normally focused on active recovery, using the natural properties of water to relax the joints or muscles that have been over-exerted in high physical activity during the tournament. I normally try to get into water – the sea if I can, or a pool. Massage treatments also help with circulation and the recovery process. For mental recovery, I try to spend time loved ones and enjoy quality time with them, getting out of the tennis world for a little bit… It's important to balance things out!
How do you get back into active preparation for a tournament, or rather switch from post routine to restart tournament preparation?
Novak : In general, you need to hydrate very well during the tour but also after. I try to remind myself and people around me to drink enough electrolytes and of course, the nutrition and diet. It's super important in my kind of holistic approach and well-being.
Turning on the engines again, I like to give myself a gradual start. Before a competition, I'd spend a few days in the gym and outdoors. I really like to be outdoors, doing activities be it jogging, biking… whatever it is. Swimming as well. I like to be connected with nature and I think this gives you strength as well, not just physically and mentally but emotionally too.
From there, it's increasing the intensity step by step, doing some isometric exercises and then working my way into the court where I gradually increase the intensity of sparring. The closer you get to the tournament, the more points you play because you want to test yourself – you'd move around a bit, and get close to that sort of competitive level you need in order to play your best. For now, I'm taking it very easy, trying to find time for nature and giving myself some headspace to get myself back on track through mental preparation.
What is your favorite leisure activity? Besides tennis of course?
Novak : I love hiking. I grew up on a mountain here in Serbia and spent a lot of my childhood climbing mountains, hills and just going up and down, spending time in the forest. That's kind of a natural habitat for me. I love being in nature and if I haven't been in a few days, I already feel that I'm missing it. I think it's super important. Obviously, everything in life is, it's relative and very individual plus we are all different. to nature or rather, how we treat nature.
Nature is who we are, it's part of us and we are part of nature. We sometimes underestimate the power of a walk in the park, a swim in the sea, a bike or kayak trip, or whatever it is. Any kind of activity outdoors that exposes yourself to the sunlight, that allows you to be in nature and breathing in the essential nutrients that you need.. This really recalibrates me in a way. It brings me peace, serenity and at the same time, refreshes my energy so I'm ready for the next activity.
