Novak Djokovic's true colours clear with first ever message to his wife’s parents
Novak Djokovic has long possessed an unshakeable belief in his tennis abilities, as evidenced by the confident first words he uttered to future wife Jelena's parents
Tennis legend Novak Djokovic declared his destiny for greatness in the sport to his future in-laws when he was just 17. The 38-year-old has since amassed a record-breaking 24 Grand Slam titles over a dazzling 22-year career that shows no signs of ending soon.
His wife Jelena has been a constant presence throughout much of his professional journey, with their romance beginning in 2005, two years after Djokovic turned pro. Fast forward 20 years, and the couple are now celebrating 11 years of marriage and are proud parents to two children, son Stefan, 10, and daughter Tara, seven.
Djokovic's first major victory came in 2008 when he triumphed over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to clinch the Australian Open. At just 21, he not only achieved his first Grand Slam but also demonstrated self-belief and ambition that have become hallmarks of his career.
A new book by Sportal, titled Novak: Untold Stories, delves into the life and career of Djokovic, featuring contributions from his parents, Srdan and Dijana, his younger brother Dorde, as well as friends and national team colleagues. Also among those who contributed to the book is Semir Osmanagic, a Bosnian businessman and author.
Djokovic, a long-time meditator at the Pyramids in Visoko, has been praised by Osmanagic, who controversially claims they are the largest human-made ancient pyramids on Earth and promotes tourism there.
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic’s new life in Greece takes bad turn as he’s booed alongside his sonREAD MORE: Novak Djokovic’s wife proved right after tearful retirement chat as plans grow clearerA massive fan of Djokovic's tenacity and self-belief, Osmanagic revealed that the tennis legend was not shy about expressing his ambitions when he first met his wife's parents.
He shared: "When he met them, Nole said, 'I am Novak Djokovic, the future world champion in tennis.' And he was only 17 years old. So he knew about his potential, he was confident that he would achieve everything he talked about.
"And that is the difference between him and many other tennis players, but also all other athletes. He knew from the start and thus set an example for others how to reach the top."
Djokovic certainly lived up to his promise and exceeded expectations with the accomplishments he garnered throughout his career. Despite not having won a Grand Slam title since the 2023 US Open, he remains one of the world's top players in his twilight years.
In his last five ATP Tour tournaments, he's made it to the semi-finals of each one and even bagged a 100th tour victory at the Geneva Open in May when he beat Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.
After his last appearance at the Six Kings Slam, where he was defeated by Jannik Sinner and retired during his match with Taylor Fritz, Djokovic is poised to make a comeback on Tuesday at the Hellenic Championship in Greece.
The Serbian ace - who has reportedly relocated to Athens with his family - will enter the tournament as the top seed. A victory in Greece would mean Djokovic has clinched tournament wins in 19 different countries.