Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player.
In January 2008 he won his first Grand Slam title at
the 2008 Australian Open. After a straight sets win
over world number one and defending champion Roger
Federer in the semi-finals, Đoković went on to win
the final in 4 sets against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on 27
January 2008, becoming the first player representing
Serbia ever to win a Grand Slam singles title. He is
the youngest player in the open era to have reached
all four Grand Slam semi-finals.
He was the runner-up at the 2007 US Open and reached
three Masters Series finals, winning in Miami and
Montreal. He also reached the semi-finals at 2007
French Open and 2007 Wimbledon Championships.
Đoković was born May 22, 1987 in Belgrade, Serbia,
Yugoslavia. He was born to father Srđan and mother
Dijana, and is the oldest of their three sons. His
two younger brothers, Đorđe and Marko, are also
tennis players with professional aspirations.
Djokovic started playing tennis at age four, and was
spotted by Yugoslav tennis legend Jelena Genčić, who
stated "This is the greatest talent I have seen
since Monika Seles."
At twelve, he spent three years at Nikola Pilić’s
tennis academy in Munich, and at fourteen his
international career began as he won European
championships in singles, doubles and team
competition. He resides in Monte Carlo, Monaco and
is coached by a former Slovak tennis player, Marián
Vajda. Đoković speaks Serbian, German and English.
Đoković often does humorous off-court impersonations
of his fellow players, many of whom he is friends
with. This became evident to the tennis world after
his 2007 US Open quarterfinal win over Carlos Moyà,
where he entertained the audience with
impersonations of Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova.
Djokovic is a proud Serb and belongs to the Serbian
Orthodox Christian community. In February 2008, he
conveyed his support via video link to a mass rally
in Belgrade against the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral
declaration of independence from Serbia.
