Challenges Faced by Novak Djokovic: Obstacles and Turning Points

A closer look at the defining struggles that shaped Novak Djokovic's life and career.

Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. He holds the record for most weeks ranked world No. 1 (428) and year-end No. 1 finishes (8). Djokovic has won 101 ATP Tour singles titles, including a record 24 Grand Slam titles, 40 Masters titles, and seven year-end championships. He's the only man to simultaneously hold all four major titles on three different surfaces. Djokovic is also the only man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam and the first to complete a Career Golden Masters, achieving it twice. He stands alone as the only singles player to have won all of the Big Titles during his career.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1958: Migration Act 1958 Reference

In 2022, The Migration Act 1958 was cited as the legal basis for the Minister for Immigration's decision to cancel Novak Djokovic's visa, raising concerns for public health and order.

2001: Murray defeated Djokovic at Les Petits As

In 2001, Murray defeated Djokovic at Les Petits As.

2005: Injury and Season End

On 26 July 2017, Djokovic announced he would miss the US Open and the rest of the season to recover from his injury. This ended his streak of 51 consecutive Grand Slam appearances since his debut in 2005.

October 2006: Ranking drops out of top 20

In October 2006, Djokovic's ranking fell out of the top 20, reaching No. 22 for the first time since October 2006, due to not defending finalist points.

2008: Australian Open Loss

In January 2017, at the Australian Open, Djokovic lost in the second round to Denis Istomin, marking his first early exit since 2008.

2009: Technical Difficulties and Racket Change

During the 2009 season, Djokovic experienced technical difficulties that coincided with his switch to the Head racket series, impacting his serve.

2009: Season Summary

In 2009, Novak Djokovic started the year with an upset at the Brisbane International and a quarterfinal retirement at the Australian Open. He won the Dubai Championships and reached the finals in Cincinnati and the US Open, losing to Roger Federer. He won the Paris Masters, defeating Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals and Gaël Monfils in the final.

2010: 2010 Season

In 2010, Novak Djokovic began the season at the Kooyong Classic. At the Australian Open, he lost in the quarterfinals to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. He won the Dubai Championships, defending an ATP title for the first time. He led Serbia to a 3–2 win over the United States in the 2010 Davis Cup. At the French Open, he lost to Jürgen Melzer in the quarterfinals. At Wimbledon, he lost in the semifinals to Tomáš Berdych. At the US Open, Djokovic saved two match points at 4-5 in the fifth set before beating Federer in the semi-finals, but lost to Nadal in the final in four sets.

2010: Tsonga won against Djokovic at Australian Open

In 2010, Tsonga won against Djokovic at Australian Open after Djokovic fell ill during the match.

2011: Del Potro won Davis Cup and Summer Olympics against Djokovic

In 2011, Del Potro won Davis Cup against Djokovic and in 2012, Del Potro won Summer Olympics against Djokovic.

2011: Termination of Tacchini Sponsorship Contract

In 2011, Djokovic's success caused Sergio Tacchini to fall behind on bonus payments, leading to the termination of the sponsorship contract.

2012: Del Potro won Summer Olympics against Djokovic

In 2012, Del Potro won Summer Olympics against Djokovic.

2012: 2012 Summer Olympics and US Open Final

In 2012, Novak Djokovic was Serbia's flag bearer at the London Summer Olympics, finishing fourth after losing the bronze medal match to Juan Martín del Potro. He defended his Rogers Cup title but lost the Cincinnati Open final to Federer. At the US Open, Djokovic lost in the final in five sets to Murray.

2012: Serbia Open Folds

The Serbia Open folded in 2012 after four editions, and its place in the ATP calendar was taken over by the Düsseldorf Open.

2013: Del Potro won Indian Wells Masters against Djokovic

In 2013, Del Potro won Indian Wells Masters against Djokovic and Djokovic won against Del Potro at Wimbledon Championships semifinals and Shanghai Masters final.

2013: Successes and Setbacks in 2013

In 2013, Novak Djokovic won three of his four singles matches at the Hopman Cup, including a final-round win over Fernando Verdasco, but Serbia lost the final. At the Australian Open, he defeated Stan Wawrinka in a fourth-round match lasting over five hours, and went on to beat Andy Murray in the final. He then won the 2013 Dubai Tennis Championships, defeating Tomáš Berdych in the final. He won the 2013 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, defeating Rafael Nadal in straight sets. He then claimed the Paris Masters, defeating David Ferrer in the final. Djokovic ended the year by winning the 2013 ATP World Tour Finals, beating Nadal in the final.

2014: Wawrinka won against Djokovic at Australian Open

In 2014, Wawrinka won against Djokovic at Australian Open in five sets.

2015: Wawrinka defeated Djokovic at the French Open final

In 2015, Wawrinka defeated Djokovic in four sets to claim his second major title at the French Open final. Later that year, Djokovic beat Wawrinka at the Cincinnati Masters and Paris Masters.

2016: First Round Loss at 2016 Summer Olympics

At Doha in 2025, Djokovic lost to Matteo Berrettini in the first round. This marked the first time Djokovic lost in any first round since the 2016 Summer Olympics.

2016: Del Potro upset Djokovic at Rio Olympics

In 2016, Del Potro upset Djokovic in the first round at the Rio Olympics en route to the final.

2016: Murray won World Tour Finals against Djokovic

In 2016, Murray won World Tour Finals against Djokovic.

2016: Wawrinka beat Djokovic at US Open final

In 2016, Wawrinka beat Djokovic at US Open final for a second time.

2017: Failed Defense at Italian Open

In 2017, Djokovic failed to defend his finalist points at the Italian Open, which contributed to his ranking falling to No. 22.

2017: Elbow Injury

In 2017, Djokovic suffered from an elbow injury that weakened his results.

2017: Djokovic failed to make Wimbledon final

In 2017, it was the last time when Novak Djokovic made it to Wimbledon final.

2018: Australian Open and Elbow Surgery

In 2018, Novak Djokovic won the Kooyong Classic exhibition against Dominic Thiem, reached the fourth round of the Australian Open before losing to Chung Hyeon, and underwent elbow surgery in late January.

2018: Elbow surgery and feelings of guilt

In 2018, following his elbow surgery, Novak Djokovic stated that he "cried for three days" after it, feeling guilty, because he was "not a fan of surgeries or medications" and wanted "to be as natural as possible".

2019: Triumphs and Setbacks in 2019

In 2019, Novak Djokovic began the year at the Qatar Open, losing in the semifinals to Roberto Bautista Agut. He then claimed his record seventh Australian Open and 15th major title by defeating Rafael Nadal in the final. Later, he experienced upsets at the Indian Wells Masters and Miami Open. Djokovic defended his title at Wimbledon, beating Roger Federer in a record 4-hour 57-minute five-set final. He ended the season by winning his fifth Paris Masters title.

April 2020: Opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination

In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Novak Djokovic indicated in a Facebook live stream that he opposes mandatory vaccination and would not be forced to take a COVID vaccine to return to the Tour, clarifying that he is against forced vaccination and cautious about what he puts into his body.

2020: 2020 Summer Olympics

At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Novak Djokovic lost to Alexander Zverev in the semifinals and to Pablo Carreño Busta in the bronze match, failing to secure a medal.

2020: Djokovic's run of 13 major finals ended

In 2020, Djokovic's run of 13 major finals ended through Australian Open.

2020: 2020 ATP Cup, Australian Open Win, and COVID-19 Controversy

In 2020, Novak Djokovic led Serbia to victory at the inaugural ATP Cup. He won his eighth Australian Open and 17th Grand Slam title, regaining the world No. 1 ranking. However, in June 2020, he tested positive for COVID-19 during the Adria Tour, leading to criticism. He was also disqualified from the US Open and lost in the French Open final.

December 2021: Positive COVID-19 Test

In December 2021, Novak Djokovic received a positive COVID-19 test on December 16, which he cited as the reason for his medical exemption to compete in the Australian Open.

2021: Djokovic won Australian Open and Medvedev won US Open

In 2021, Djokovic won Australian Open and Medvedev won US Open.

2021: Increased scrutiny over vaccination views

In late 2021, leading up to the 2022 Australian Open, Djokovic's views on vaccination came under increased scrutiny due to potential vaccination requirements for tennis players to enter the tournament.

January 2022: Confirmation of unvaccinated status to Australian Border Force

In January 2022, Novak Djokovic confirmed to the Australian Border Force that he was unvaccinated during an interview, leading to further controversy surrounding his participation in the Australian Open.

February 2022: Medvedev replaced Djokovic as world No. 1

In February 2022, Medvedev replaced Djokovic as world No. 1.

February 2022: Interview with BBC

In February 2022, Novak Djokovic stated in an interview with the BBC that he does not associate with the wider anti-vax movement but believes in personal freedom of choice and would forgo entry into tournaments in countries mandating the vaccine.

2022: Alcaraz prevailed against Djokovic at Madrid Masters

In 2022, Alcaraz prevailed against Djokovic at Madrid Masters.

2022: Australian Open Visa Controversy and Deportation

In 2022, Novak Djokovic faced significant controversy surrounding his participation in the Australian Open due to vaccination requirements. His visa was initially cancelled upon arrival, reinstated by a court, and then cancelled again by the Minister for Immigration, leading to his deportation.

2022: Misses Tournaments Due to Vaccine Mandate

In 2022, Novak Djokovic skipped many tournaments, notably the Australian Open and the US Open, due to his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, and was deported from Australia.

2022: Impact of vaccination stance on career

In 2022, Novak Djokovic's stance against the COVID-19 vaccine led to him being unable to play the 2022 Australian Open and the 2022 US Open, losing his No. 1 ranking, and facing potential damage to his placement among the all-time great tennis players, though others applauded his decision.

2023: Djokovic won French Open and Alcaraz won Wimbledon against Djokovic

In 2023, Djokovic won French Open against Alcaraz and Alcaraz won Wimbledon against Djokovic and Djokovic won Cincinnati Masters against Alcaraz.

2023: Sinner recorded his first win against Djokovic at ATP Finals

In 2023, Sinner recorded his first win against Djokovic at ATP Finals, although Djokovic won the final.

2023: Repeat Wimbledon Final Loss

In 2024, Novak Djokovic lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, a repeat of the 2023 final.

2024: Alcaraz defeated Djokovic at Wimbledon final and Djokovic defeated Alcaraz at Olympics final

In 2024, Alcaraz defeated Djokovic at Wimbledon final and Djokovic defeated Alcaraz at Olympics final.

2024: Mixed Results and Olympic Gold in 2024

In 2024, Novak Djokovic experienced mixed results, including a semifinal loss at the Australian Open, early exits at Indian Wells and Rome, and a withdrawal from the French Open quarterfinals due to injury. He won the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, completing a Career Golden Slam and Career Super Slam.

2024: Sinner won Australian Open and Shanghai Masters against Djokovic

In 2024, Sinner won Australian Open and Shanghai Masters against Djokovic.

2025: Miami Open and Masters 1000 Record

At the 2025 Miami Open, Djokovic beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the third round to claim his record 411th career main draw win at the Masters 1000 level, surpassing Nadal's previous record of 410. He lost in the final to Jakub Menšík.

2025: Djokovic won against Alcaraz at Australian Open and Alcaraz won against Djokovic at US Open

In 2025, Djokovic won against Alcaraz at Australian Open and Alcaraz won against Djokovic at US Open.

2025: 2025 Season and Australian Open

In 2025, Novak Djokovic opened the season at the Brisbane International, losing in the quarterfinals. At the Australian Open, he surpassed Roger Federer's record for major main draw singles matches but retired in the semifinal due to a muscle tear.

2025: Sinner won French Open and Wimbledon against Djokovic

In 2025, Sinner won French Open and Wimbledon against Djokovic.

2026: Djokovic defeated by Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open final

In 2026, at the Australian Open, Djokovic defeated Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals. However, Djokovic was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in the final, and Alcaraz became the youngest male player to achieve a Career Grand Slam.