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 boasts a record 24 major men's singles titles, including a record ten Australian Open titles, and a total of 99 singles titles. He's the only man to simultaneously hold all four major titles across three surfaces and the only man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam. Furthermore, he is the only player to complete a Career Golden Masters twice and the only singles player to have won all Big Titles.

Sections (6)

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

2007: Rogers Cup

In 2007, Djokovic failed to defend his singles title at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, being eliminated in the quarterfinals by Andy Murray.

2007: Failed to reach the quarterfinals at the Australian Open

In January 2017, at the Australian Open, it was the first time since 2007 that Djokovic failed to reach the quarterfinals.

2008: Olympics

During the 2008 Summer Olympics, Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjić were eliminated in the first round of men's doubles. Djokovic lost in the singles semifinals to Nadal but defeated James Blake in the bronze medal match.

2008: Davis Cup and Influenza

In early 2008, Djokovic was sidelined due to influenza during Serbia's Davis Cup tie against Russia in Moscow. He missed his first singles match but returned to win the doubles match with Nenad Zimonjić before retiring during his singles match against Nikolay Davydenko.

January 2009: Lost to Ernest Gulbis

In August 2016, Djokovic was beaten in the first round of the Olympic men's singles in Rio de Janeiro by Juan Martín del Potro. It was Djokovic's first opening round defeat since January 2009, when Ernest Gulbis defeated him at the 2009 Brisbane International.

2009: Earliest exit in a Grand Slam since 2009 French Open

At Wimbledon 2016, Novak Djokovic's major win streak came to an end in the third-round when he lost to American Sam Querrey in four sets. It was his earliest exit in a Grand Slam since the 2009 French Open.

2010: Tsonga defeats Djokovic at Australian Open

In 2010, Tsonga defeated Djokovic in five sets at the Australian Open quarterfinals, after Djokovic fell ill during the match.

2011: First Time Since 2011 Without a Major Title

At the US Open in 2024, after losing to Alexei Popyrin in the third round, Novak Djokovic ended the season without a major title for only the second time since 2011.

2011: Sergio Tacchini deal terminated due to bonus payments falling behind

In 2011, Djokovic's success led to Sergio Tacchini falling behind on bonus payments, resulting in the termination of their sponsorship contract.

2011: Del Potro Defeats Djokovic at Davis Cup

In 2011, Juan Martín del Potro defeated Djokovic at the Davis Cup.

August 2012: 2012 Summer Olympics

On August 2, 2012, Djokovic defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Summer Olympics in London and advanced to the semifinals, where he was beaten by Murray. He lost to Juan Martín del Potro in the bronze medal match, finishing fourth.

2012: Del Potro Defeats Djokovic at Summer Olympics

In 2012, Juan Martín del Potro defeated Djokovic in the Bronze medal match at the Summer Olympics in straight sets.

March 2013: Won the Dubai Championships

In March 2013, Novak Djokovic won the Dubai Championships by defeating Tomáš Berdych in the final. He also reached the semifinals at the Indian Wells Masters, where he lost to Juan Martín del Potro, ending his 22-match winning streak. He also participated in the Miami Masters as defending champion, but he lost in the fourth round to Tommy Haas.

2013: Lost Wimbledon Final to Murray

In 2013, Novak Djokovic lost the Wimbledon final to Andy Murray. He also collected his fourth Beijing title by defeating Nadal in the final in straight sets and won his 16th Masters title in Paris. He also retained his trophy at the 2013 ATP Finals, beating Nadal in straight sets.

2013: Competed at the Australian Open

In 2013, Novak Djokovic won his first four matches in straight sets at the Australian Open. He lost to Wawrinka in the quarterfinals of the tournament, ending his 25-match winning streak in Melbourne.

2013: Unbeaten Run in Wimbledon Finals and Centre Court Ended

In 2023, Novak Djokovic's unbeaten run in Wimbledon finals and Centre Court ended with a defeat to Carlos Alcaraz. This unbeaten run dated back to 2013, when Djokovic lost to Andy Murray.

2014: Wawrinka defeats Djokovic at Australian Open

In 2014, Stan Wawrinka defeated Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open quarterfinals with a score of 9-7 in the fifth set, ending Djokovic's streak of 14 consecutive major semifinals and a 28-match winning streak. Wawrinka then won his first major title at the tournament.

2015: Wawrinka wins French Open

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

2015: Loss to Federer

Novak Djokovic's loss to Roger Federer at the 2019 ATP Finals was his first loss to Federer since 2015.

2016: Wawrinka beats Djokovic at US Open

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

2016: Del Potro Upsets Djokovic at Rio Olympics

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

2016: First First-Round Loss Since 2016 Summer Olympics

In 2025, at the ATP 500 Tournament in Doha, Novak Djokovic lost to Matteo Berrettini in the first round. This marked the first time Djokovic had lost in any first round since the 2016 Summer Olympics.

October 2017: Ranking Drop

After the injury break, in October 2017, Novak Djokovic's ranking suffered as he was outside the top 10 for the first time in a long time.

2017: Elbow Injury

In 2017, Novak Djokovic suffered from an elbow injury which affected his performance.

2017: Zverev Upsets Djokovic at Italian Open

In 2017, a 20-year-old Zverev upset Djokovic at the Italian Open final to win his first ATP 1000 Masters title.

2017: First Time Since 2017 Without a Major Title

In 2024, after failing to win a major title, it marked only the second time since 2011 and the first time since 2017 that Novak Djokovic ended a season without winning a major title.

2017: Injury and Season End

On 26 July 2017, Novak Djokovic announced he would miss the US Open and the remainder of the 2017 season to recover from an elbow injury. This ended his streak of 51 consecutive Grand Slam appearances, which began after the 2005 Australian Open.

2018: Tsitsipas Upsets Djokovic at Rogers Cup

In 2018, Stefanos Tsitsipas, then ranked No. 27, upset Djokovic in three sets in the third round of the Rogers Cup.

2018: Elbow Surgery and Reflections on Healing

In 2018, following elbow surgery, Djokovic expressed his emotional distress and discomfort with surgical interventions, stating he "cried for three days". He emphasized his preference for natural healing processes and his belief in the body's self-healing capabilities.

2018: Winning Streak at Wimbledon Ended

In 2023, Novak Djokovic's 34-match winning streak at Wimbledon came to an end, a streak that began back in 2018. This streak concluded with a loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

2018: First Loss at Australian Open Since 2018

In 2024, at the Australian Open, Djokovic lost in the semifinals to Jannik Sinner, marking his first loss at the Australian Open since 2018 and ending his consecutive win streak of 33 wins.

2018: First Opening Match Loss Since Barcelona Open

In April 2022, at the Monte-Carlo Masters, Novak Djokovic experienced his first opening match loss since the 2018 Barcelona Open.

2018: Elbow Surgery and Early Tournament Losses

In January 2018, Novak Djokovic defeated Dominic Thiem at the Kooyong Classic exhibition tournament. At the Australian Open 2018, he reached the fourth round but was defeated by Chung Hyeon. Djokovic underwent elbow surgery in late January 2018. He returned to practice on 3 March and played at Indian Wells a week later, losing in the second round. He also lost in the second round of the Miami Open.

2019: Tsitsipas Defeats Djokovic at Shanghai Masters

In 2019, Djokovic beat Tsitsipas in the Madrid Open, but Tsitsipas then won their next match in the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters.

2019: Thiem Wins French Open Semifinal

In 2019, Thiem won a grueling four-hour, five-set match against Djokovic in the semifinals of the French Open, ending Djokovic's quest for a second "Nole Slam". They also played in the round robin stage of the ATP Finals, which Thiem won in a tiebreaker.

2019: Return to Indian Wells Masters After 2019

In March 2024, Novak Djokovic participated in the Indian Wells Masters for the first time since 2019, where he was upset in the third round by Luca Nardi.

2020: Zverev Wins Tokyo Olympics Semifinal

In 2020, Zverev won the Tokyo Olympics semifinal against Djokovic, despite being a set and a break behind.

December 2021: Positive COVID-19 Test

In December 2021, it was revealed that Novak Djokovic tested positive for COVID-19 on 16 December 2021, which was used as the basis for his medical exemption to play at the Australian Open.

2021: Grand Slam Finals Against Medvedev

In 2021, Djokovic won the Australian Open final against Medvedev. Medvedev won his first major title at the US Open against Djokovic in the final, also ending Djokovic's quest for a calendar-year Grand Slam.

2021: Increased Scrutiny Over Vaccination Views

In late 2021, Djokovic's views on vaccination faced increased scrutiny leading up to the 2022 Australian Open, with Australian government officials indicating vaccination would be required for entry.

January 2022: Visa Cancellation and Australian Open Ban

In January 2022, Novak Djokovic's visa was cancelled by the Australian Minister for Immigration, preventing his participation in the 2022 Australian Open. He was subsequently barred from returning to Australia for three years.

January 2022: Confirmation of Unvaccinated Status

In January 2022, during an interview with the Australian Border Force, Novak Djokovic confirmed that he was unvaccinated.

February 2022: Medvedev Replaces Djokovic as World No. 1

In February 2022, Daniil Medvedev replaced Novak Djokovic as the world No. 1 player, reaching the top ranking for the first time.

2022: Alcaraz prevails at Madrid Masters

In 2022, Alcaraz prevailed against Djokovic in a deciding set tiebreaker at the Madrid Masters semifinals.

2022: Impact of Vaccination Stance on Tournament Participation and Ranking

In 2022, Djokovic's stance against the COVID-19 vaccine prevented him from participating in major tournaments, including the Australian Open and the US Open. Consequently, he lost his No. 1 ranking after holding it for a record 373 weeks.

2022: Tournament Skips Due to Vaccine Opposition

In 2022, Novak Djokovic was forced to skip several tournaments, including the Australian Open and US Open, due to his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine and the Australian visa controversy.

2022: Australian Open Participation Requirements

In 2022, the Victorian Government required all players to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to participate in the Australian Open, where Novak Djokovic was a three-time defending champion.

2022: French Open Title Defense Ends

In May 2022, Novak Djokovic entered the French Open as the defending champion but lost to Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals. As a result, he conceded the No. 1 ranking to Daniil Medvedev for the second time in 2022.

2023: Alcaraz Defeats Djokovic at Wimbledon Final

In 2023, Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in an epic five-setter at the Wimbledon final, ending his hopes for the calendar Grand Slam and his decade-long, record 45-match Centre Court win streak. Later, Djokovic defeated Alcaraz at the Cincinnati Masters final in three tightly contested sets, which was the longest best-of-three-sets ATP Tour final and the longest match in the tournament's history.

2023: Wimbledon Championships Final Loss

In 2023, Djokovic aimed for a fifth consecutive and record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title. After reaching the final, he faced Carlos Alcaraz and lost in five sets, ending his 34-match winning streak at Wimbledon since 2018 and his unbeaten run in both Wimbledon finals and Centre Court since 2013.

2024: Wimbledon Championships Final Loss

In 2024, Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon Championships final, marking his 37th Grand Slam final. However, he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in a rematch of the previous year's final, failing to win a record-equalling eighth title.

2024: Djokovic and Alcaraz in High-Profile Finals

In the summer of 2024, Djokovic and Alcaraz met twice in high-profile finals. On July 14, Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in straight sets in a rematch of the previous year's Wimbledon final. On August 4, Djokovic defeated Alcaraz in the Olympics final held at Roland Garros. Neither player was broken on serve across two long tie-break sets, with Djokovic claiming both to complete the career Golden Slam.