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Born: 22 May 1987 Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Birthplace: Belgrade, Serbia Residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco Turned pro: 2003 Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand) Career prize money: $35,255,670 Career titles: 29 Grand Slam results Website: www.novakdjokovic.com |
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who has been ranked World No. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) since 4 July 2011.
He has won five Grand Slam singles titles: the 2008, 2011 and 2012 Australian Open, the 2011 Wimbledon Championships, and the 2011 US Open.
By winning three Majors in 2011, Djokovic became the sixth male player in the open era to win three Majors in a calendar year. He is the first male player representing Serbia to win a Major singles title and the youngest player in the open era to have reached the semifinals of all four Grand Slam events, separately and consecutively.
Amongst other titles, he won the Tennis Masters Cup in 2008 and was on the team which won the 2010 Davis Cup. He also won the bronze medal in singles at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Early and personal life
Djokovic was born 22 May 1987, in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. His two younger brothers, Marko and Đorđe (Ђорђе), are also tennis players with professional aspirations. Residing in Monte Carlo,Monaco, Djokovic has been coached since 2006 by a former Slovak tennis player, Marián Vajda. Similar to fellow pro Roger Federer, Djokovic is a self-described fan of languages, speaking four himself: his native Serbian, English, German, and Italian. Since the end of 2005, Djokovic has been dating Jelena Ristić.
He started playing tennis at the age of four. In the summer 1993, the six-year-old was spotted by Yugoslav tennis legend Jelena Genčić at Mount Kopaonik where Djokovic’s parents ran a fast-food parlour. Upon seeing the dedicated and talented youngster in action, she stated: “This is the greatest talent I have seen since Monica Seles. Genčić worked with young Djokovic over the following six years before realizing that, due to his rapid development, going abroad in search of increased level of competition was the best option for his future. To that end, she contacted Nikola Pilić, and in September 1999, the 12-year-old moved to the Pilić tennis academy in Oberschleißheim, Germany, spending four years there. At age 14, he began his international career, winning European championships in singles, doubles, and team competition. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novak_Djokovic)
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Playing style
Djokovic is an all-court player with emphasis on aggressive baseline play. His groundstrokes from both wings are consistent, deep, and penetrating. His backhand is widely regarded as the best in today’s game. His best weapon is his backhand down the line, with great pace and precision. He is also known as one of the greatest movers on the court with superior agility, court coverage and defensive ability.
After great technical difficulties during the 2009 season, his serve is one of his major weapons again, winning him many free points; his first serve is typically hit flat, while he prefers to slice and kick his second serves wide.Occasionally, Djokovic employs a well-disguised backhand underspin drop shot and sliced backhand. His drop shots still tend to be a drawback when hit under pressure and without proper preparation. Learn how to hit the backhand drop shot
Djokovic has the best return of serve ever seen on a tennis court, and this was said by former tennis great John McEnroe for ATP.com. He has one of the best forehands ever according to McEnroe, Connors, and Sampras. All of these greats stated that no tennis player has ever had a better backhand than Djokovic, and all simultaneously noted that his backhand down-the-line shot is his most destructive weapon.
Djokovic commented on the modern style of play, including his own, in interview with Jim Courier after his semifinal win against Andy Murray in the 2012 Australian Open tournament:
“I had a big privilege and honour to meet personally today Mr. Laver, and he is one of the biggest, and greatest players ever to play the game, thank you for staying this late, sir, thank you … even though it would actually be better if we played a couple times serve and volley, but we don’t know to play … we are mostly around here [points to the area near the baseline], we are running, you know, around the baseline …”
After his 2011 victory in Montreal, tennis coach Nick Bollettieri stated that Djokovic is the most “complete” player of all time. He has the backhand, forehand, serve, second serve, movement, mentality, and can play equally well on any surface. In assessing his 2011 season, Jimmy Connors said that Djokovic gives his opponents problems by playing “a little bit old-school, taking the ball earlier, catching the ball on the rise, (and) driving the ball flat.” Connors adds that a lot of the topspin that Djokovic’s opponents drive at him comes right into his zone, thus his ability to turn defense into offense well.
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