Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic: The exceptional talent from Serbia

Novak Djokovic is, without a doubt, one of the greatest tennis stars of his generation. The exceptional Serbian player has won all four Grand Slam tournaments – some of them multiple times – and has spent countless weeks at world No. 1. On top of that, Djokovic regularly delights and entertains fans with his playful antics on and off the court. His emotional performances, though, also mean the Serb occasionally makes headlines for less flattering reasons. One thing's for sure: things around Djokovic are never boring. And that's still down, first and foremost, to his many sporting achievements.

Leaving home early: “Nole's” first steps in tennis

Novak Djokovic grew up together with his parents and his two younger brothers in Serbia's capital, Belgrade. That's also where he took his first steps on a tennis court, at the age of four. At just twelve, Djokovic left home to further develop his talent, ending up in Munich, where he attended Nikola Pilic's tennis academy. He finally made his pro tour debut in 2003.

Just two years later, he reached the third round at both Wimbledon and the US Open as a qualifier, surprisingly beating several higher-ranked players along the way. From then on, “Nole”, as his fans call him, kept climbing relentlessly up the rankings. His first ATP Tour titles soon followed too: he triumphed in Metz and Amersfoort. And in 2007, Djokovic reached the final of a Grand Slam tournament (the US Open) for the first time in his career – and as the first-ever Serbian player to do so – though he lost quite clearly to Roger Federer. Before that, he'd already reached the semi-finals at the French Open and at Wimbledon.

The leap to the top: Djokovic's meteoric rise

Against the two other great tennis stars of his generation, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic came off second best for a long time. That was set to change in 2008. At the Australian Open, he not only beat Federer in the semi-final, but also claimed victory in the final against Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. That made him the youngest-ever Australian Open champion. From that day on at the latest, Djokovic belonged among the very best players on tour.

In July 2011, Djokovic then took the next great step in his career: for the first time, he reached the very top of the world rankings, pushing aside his great rivals Nadal and Federer. He also picked up no fewer than three Grand Slam titles that year. Alongside defending his Australian Open crown, Djokovic also triumphed for the first time at Wimbledon and the US Open. And on top of that, the Serb also claimed five Masters titles. Incidentally, he went unbeaten for 43 matches across seasons, the third-longest winning streak in the history of the Open Era.

A complete Grand Slam collection and countless records

Novak Djokovic's impressive trophy haul didn't stop there in the years that followed. In 2016, he finally won the French Open too, claiming the one Grand Slam title that had still been missing from his cabinet. In the years that followed, however, Djokovic also battled several injuries, temporarily dropping out of the top positions in the world rankings. But with his iron will, “Nole” always fought his way back and needed little time to rediscover his usual top form.

Djokovic went on to celebrate numerous further Grand Slam titles, thrilling his fans with many memorable finals along the way. In the longest Wimbledon final in history, for example, he fended off two match points against Roger Federer and converted his own match point after almost five hours of play. Thanks to his triumph at the 2020 Australian Open, Djokovic became only the second player ever to win a Grand Slam title across three different decades. He was also the first player to reach the 100-million-US-dollar prize money mark.

On 8 March 2021, Djokovic set a new career milestone: with 311 weeks at world No. 1, he surpassed previous record-holder Roger Federer. Thanks to his triumph at the French Open, he became only the third player ever to win all four Grand Slam tournaments at least twice – and the first to achieve this feat in the Open Era. His winning run continued at Wimbledon, where he claimed the title for the third year running after beating Matteo Berrettini, drawing level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slam titles. At the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, he reached the semi-final but had to concede defeat to Alexander Zverev in three sets. The historic calendar Grand Slam also eluded him at the 2021 US Open: “Nole” lost the final to Daniil Medvedev in three sets.

Paris 2024: The dream of Olympic gold comes true

The 2022 season got off to a rocky start: due to his vaccination status, “Nole” was unable to compete at either the Australian Open or the US Open. But in 2023, he made a triumphant return, picking up further Grand Slam titles and overtaking Rafael Nadal in the all-time race for the most Majors. He secured his 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open, matching Margaret Court's all-time record across both genders. In 2024, things initially looked different: Djokovic failed to claim further success at the first three Grand Slam tournaments of the year. And yet a very special highlight was still waiting for the Serbian tennis star: at the Summer Olympics in Paris, he crowned his career with the gold medal in singles, adding another remarkable chapter to his already extraordinary story.

Even after his Olympic triumph in Paris, Novak Djokovic remained a fixture on tour. In the 2025 and 2026 seasons, he set further records, pushing his tally of Grand Slam match wins past 400 – becoming the first player ever to surpass that mark. At the 2026 Australian Open, he reached the final once again, fighting for his 25th Major title, while at Wimbledon he made the semi-final and delivered another great battle against Jannik Sinner on the hallowed grass. Although a further title win eluded him for now and he slipped slightly in the world rankings, Djokovic's consistent top-level results and his continued presence in the later rounds of the Grand Slams showed impressively that he still belongs among the absolute world elite, even past the age of 38.

Everything for success: Djokovic also fine-tunes his game off the court

Coached for a time by Boris Becker, Djokovic ranks among the most versatile players on the entire ATP Tour. Hardly anyone is as skilled at escaping seemingly hopeless situations and wearing down opponents with sheer athleticism and stamina. Djokovic is also known for his relentless work ethic, constantly fine-tuning his diet, for example, to keep himself and his body in top shape even at a more advanced tennis age. His passion for nutrition even led Djokovic to publish his own nutrition guide, and he can today also call himself the owner of a restaurant chain. In the summer of 2014, Novak Djokovic married his childhood sweetheart Jelena Ristic, who is now his wife and with whom he already has children. Djokovic offers fans a few personal glimpses into his life on his Instagram channel.

Novak Djokovic's HEAD tennis racket

With his huge repertoire of shots and his approach to the game, Novak Djokovic is a true idol for recreational and amateur players alike. If you want to get as close as possible to his playing style, it all starts with the right racket. Djokovic has trusted HEAD rackets for many years. His current signature model comes from the Speed range and is offered as the “Speed Legend” and Speed Pro Legend Edition, both featuring an exclusive design. These tournament rackets are built for maximum control at high speed, offering a stable frame for powerful groundstrokes and supporting precise, placement-focused play throughout the entire match.

The Speed pro racket used by “Nole” combines a head-light balance profile with an aerodynamic frame and a control-oriented string pattern. Modern material technologies ensure the racket delivers direct feedback and high stability even during long rallies and aggressive returns. In our range, you'll find various HEAD Speed models that let you bring a touch of the Serbian exceptional athlete's feel for the game onto your own court – tailored to different playing levels, from the ambitious club player right through to the tournament competitor.

Order Novak Djokovic's tennis kit online

To get a little closer to following in his big footsteps, tennis players can kit themselves out with top-quality kit at the Tennis-Point online shop. Grab, for example, the Lacoste tennis clothing that has accompanied Djokovic for many years. You'll also find the HEAD tennis rackets used by “Nole”, as well as the Asics Court FF tennis shoes he sweeps across the court in. Discover the other pros of the tennis world and their brands at Tennis-Point, and order your kit online.