Novak Djokovic

Tennis player · Athlete · Philanthropist · Author

b. 1987 · Born in Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia · 4 min read

Verified: 13 November 2026
Sources: 4
Independently reviewed

Photo: Iman Farzin / Wikimedia Commons , CC BY 4.0

Serbian tennis player who holds the men's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record 10 Australian Open titles, and a record 428 weeks ranked world number one; Olympic singles gold medallist at Paris 2024.

Early Life

Novak Djokovic was born on 22 May 1987 in Belgrade, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, to Srdjan and Dijana Djokovic, who ran a restaurant and sports equipment business. He began playing tennis at the age of four at a tennis centre in the mountain resort of Kopaonik, and showed early promise under his first coach, Jelena Gencic. His childhood was marked by the wars in the former Yugoslavia and by the NATO bombing of Belgrade in 1999, when he was 11 years old; he has said that tennis practice during that period continued in difficult conditions. At the age of 12 he moved to the tennis academy of Niki Pilic in Munich, Germany, to develop his game.

Education

Djokovic was educated in Belgrade while pursuing tennis from an early age, and from the age of 12 he trained at Niki Pilic's academy in Munich. His formal schooling was arranged around his training and tournament schedule, and he did not attend university, turning professional in 2003 at the age of 16.

Career

Djokovic turned professional in 2003 and won his first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in 2008, defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final. He helped Serbia win the Davis Cup in 2010, and in 2011 he won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the United States Open, becoming world number one for the first time on 4 July 2011. He completed the career Grand Slam by winning the French Open in 2016, and in 2015 and 2016 he held all four major titles at the same time. His 24 Grand Slam singles titles are a record for men: 10 Australian Opens, 3 French Opens, 7 Wimbledons and 4 United States Opens. He also holds the records for the most ATP Masters 1000 titles, with 40, the most year-end championship titles, with seven, and the most weeks ranked world number one, with 428. He won the Olympic singles gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final, having won the bronze medal at Beijing in 2008. In January 2022 he was deported from Australia after his visa was cancelled in a dispute over COVID-19 vaccination rules, and he did not play that year's Australian Open. He has won more than 100 ATP Tour singles titles and is the only man to have won each of the four Grand Slam tournaments at least three times.

Achievements

Djokovic's 24 Grand Slam singles titles are the most won by any man, and his 10 Australian Open titles are a record at a single Grand Slam tournament. He has spent a record 428 weeks ranked world number one and finished the year as number one a record eight times. He won the Olympic singles gold medal at Paris 2024, completing the career Golden Slam, and won the Davis Cup with Serbia in 2010. He holds the records for the most Masters 1000 titles, with 40, and the most ATP Finals titles, with seven. His rivalries with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, against whom he holds winning head-to-head records, defined men's tennis for more than a decade.

Won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any man in tennis history
Won a record 10 Australian Open singles titles
Spent a record 428 weeks ranked world number one
Finished the year as world number one a record eight times
Won the Olympic singles gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Won a record 40 ATP Masters 1000 titles
Won a record seven ATP Finals titles
Completed the career Grand Slam by winning the French Open in 2016
Held all four Grand Slam titles at the same time in 2015-2016
Won the Davis Cup with Serbia in 2010
Won more than 100 ATP Tour singles titles
The only man to win each Grand Slam tournament at least three times

Legacy

Djokovic is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and the holder of the most significant statistical records in the men's game. Supporters point to his 24 major titles, his record weeks at number one and his success on every surface, while others argue that Federer and Nadal had a greater influence on the popularity of the sport. His 2022 deportation from Australia remains a subject of debate. Because he is a living person whose career continues, this profile records only documented milestones and will need regular updating from reliable sources.

Contributions

Djokovic set the statistical standard for men's tennis, holding the records for Grand Slam singles titles, weeks at world number one, Masters 1000 titles and year-end championship titles at the same time. His defensive skills, returning and physical conditioning changed how the game is played at the top level, and his long rivalries with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal formed the central story of men's tennis for more than a decade. Through the Novak Djokovic Foundation he has supported early childhood education in Serbia.

Notable Works

Serve to Win (2013)
Novak Djokovic Foundation (2007)

Milestones

1987 — Born on 22 May in Belgrade, Yugoslavia Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
2003 — Turned professional Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
2008 — Won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open; won Olympic bronze in Beijing Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia
2010 — Helped Serbia win the Davis Cup Source: Wikipedia
2011 — Won three Grand Slam titles and became world number one for the first time on 4 July Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
2016 — Won the French Open to complete the career Grand Slam and hold all four majors at once Source: Wikipedia
2019 — Won the longest Wimbledon final in history, against Roger Federer Source: Wikipedia
2022 — Deported from Australia in January and did not play the Australian Open Source: Wikipedia
2023 — Won three Grand Slam titles to reach a record 24, and a seventh ATP Finals title Source: Wikipedia
2024 — Won the Olympic singles gold medal at Paris 2024, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final Source: Wikipedia; Encyclopaedia Britannica

Timeline

22 May 1987
Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
1999
Lived through the NATO bombing of Belgrade as an 11-year-old
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Wikipedia
2003
Turned professional
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
27 January 2008
Won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open
Source: Wikipedia
2008-08
Won the Olympic singles bronze medal in Beijing
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Wikipedia
2010
Helped Serbia win the Davis Cup
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Wikipedia
4 July 2011
Became world number one for the first time
Source: Wikipedia
5 June 2016
Won the French Open to complete the career Grand Slam
Source: Wikipedia
14 July 2019
Won the Wimbledon final against Roger Federer, the longest final in the tournament's history
Source: Wikipedia
2022-01
Deported from Australia and did not play the Australian Open
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Wikipedia
10 September 2023
Won the United States Open, his record 24th Grand Slam singles title
Source: Wikipedia
4 August 2024
Won the Olympic singles gold medal at Paris 2024
Source: Wikipedia

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Novak Djokovic?

Novak Djokovic was born on 22 May 1987 in Belgrade, Serbia, so Djokovic is 39 years old as of November 2026. His age changes every year on 22 May.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Who is Novak Djokovic?

Novak Djokovic (born 22 May 1987) is a Serbian tennis player who holds the men's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record 10 Australian Open titles, and a record 428 weeks ranked world number one. He won Olympic singles gold at Paris 2024.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica ; Wikipedia

How many Grand Slam titles has Novak Djokovic won?

Novak Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, a record for men: 10 Australian Opens (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), 3 French Opens (2016, 2021, 2023), 7 Wimbledons (2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) and 4 United States Opens (2011, 2015, 2018, 2023).

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica ; Wikipedia

Has Novak Djokovic won an Olympic gold medal?

Yes. Djokovic won the Olympic singles gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final. He had previously won the bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Source: Wikipedia ; Encyclopaedia Britannica

How many weeks has Novak Djokovic spent at world number one?

Novak Djokovic has spent a record 428 weeks ranked world number one, more than any other man or woman in tennis history, and finished the year as number one a record eight times.