From rags to riches! The journey to 24 Grand Slam titles was never smooth, but Novak Djokovic‘s hard work along with the enormous support of his parents has brought him to this stage. The Serb has time and again spoken about how challenging it was for his parents to make ends meet in a war-torn country. He saw his parent’s incredible grit and determination to turn things around for the family. That’s truly an inspirational story. What important lessons did he take from his home for the rest of his life?
Recently, during an interview with Radio-Television Serbia, Djokovic was asked about the source of his great self-confidence. In reply, he said, “I had an example in my father who was persistent, as he is now, and believed in me even when I didn’t. And my mother, who supported all of us, four men in 70 square meters. It was very challenging for my parents, because I chose a sport that is one of the most expensive, and we all know how difficult it was in the nineties.”
He further went on to add, “I needed someone by my side who would believe in me, push me, make me believe in myself and in victory. Regardless of who is on the other side of the net and what is happening, and with respect for the opponent and the sport, which I have always tried to respect.” Novak Djokovic believes these are some of the things that he learned from the house and a few others who were very much close to him.
Tennis is an expensive sport and Djokovic knows that without self-belief and the support from his parents, the journey would have remained incomplete. In 2022, during an interview, Novak Djokovic revealed that his family of five once had just 10 Deutsche Mark (approx $10 at that time) to run the whole family. At that time, it was more about surviving for them rather than to play tennis. They had to eat bread during the day to fight their hunger. He revealed how his mom stood like a pillar of the family and held everyone together at that time. No doubt, Djokovic hails her mom as a “superwoman.”
He’s also very much grateful to his father, Srdjan, for showing enormous courage to help him pursue his dream in tennis despite having so little money for survival. According to the 37-year-old tennis superstar, his ability to find strength during the most difficult times is something he has inherited from his father. However, there are two more persons other than his parents who played a crucial role in shaping Novak Djokovic’s career.