Early Life and Education of Novak Djokovic: A Complete Timeline
How education and upbringing influenced the life of Novak Djokovic. A timeline of key moments.
Novak Djokovic, a Serbian professional tennis player, holds the record for the most weeks ranked as world No. 1 (428) and year-end No. 1 finishes (8). He has secured 101 ATP Tour singles titles, including a record 24 Grand Slam titles, 40 Masters titles, and 7 year-end championships. Djokovic is the only man to simultaneously hold all four major titles on three different surfaces. He's the only man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam and the only player to complete a Career Golden Masters twice. He is also the only singles player to have won all of the Big Titles over the course of his career.
1958: Reference to Migration Act
In 2022, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs cancelled Djokovic's visa again under the Migration Act 1958, citing concerns for public health and order.
May 1987: Novak Djokovic Born
In May 1987, Novak Djokovic, a Serbian professional tennis player, was born.
May 1992: Baptism at Žiča Monastery
In May 1992, Novak Djokovic was baptized at the Žiča Monastery, along with his mother and younger brother Marko.
September 1999: Move to Pilić Tennis Academy
In September 1999, Djokovic moved to the Pilić tennis academy in Oberschleißheim, Germany, spending four years there to further develop his tennis skills.
2001: Djokovic and Murray first match at Les Petits As
In 2001, Djokovic and Andy Murray played their first match as teenagers at Les Petits As, which Murray won.
2003: Pete Sampras's Retirement
In 2003 Pete Sampras retired. At the time, he was considered by some to be the greatest male tennis player of all time.
2005: Beginning Relationship with Jelena Ristić
In 2005, Novak Djokovic began dating Jelena Ristić, whom he met in high school.
December 2007: Recognition at NAJJ Srbije (The Best of Serbia) sports-entertainment show
In early December 2007, Novak Djokovic's success in the 2007 season was recognized at the NAJJ Srbije (The Best of Serbia) sports-entertainment show in Belgrade's Kombank Arena, alongside Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Janković, and Janko Tipsarević.
2007: Founded the Novak Djokovic Foundation
In 2007, Djokovic founded the Novak Djokovic Foundation, which aims to help children from disadvantaged communities.
2007: Comedic Impressions of Fellow Tennis Players
Throughout the latter part of the 2007 season, Novak Djokovic's comedic impressions of fellow tennis players gained media attention, starting with a BBC recording at Queen's Club Championships and continuing during the US Open.
May 2008: Special Guest at Eurovision Song Contest
In May 2008, Novak Djokovic was a special guest during the first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest held in Belgrade. He threw a tennis ball into the crowd to start the voting and sang "Beograde" with Željko Joksimović.
2008: Launched Novak Café & Restaurant in Belgrade
In 2008, Family Sport launched Novak Café & Restaurant in the Belgrade municipality of Novi Beograd, the flagship location in a franchised chain of theme café-restaurants.
May 2009: Guest Appearance on Fiorello Show
In May 2009, Novak Djokovic was a guest on the Fiorello Show on Sky Uno, hosted by Rosario Fiorello, during the ATP Master Series tournament in Rome.
May 2009: Inaugural edition of Serbia Open held
In May 2009, the inaugural edition of the Serbia Open was held at the city-owned "Milan Gale Muškatirović" courts in Belgrade.
2009: Novak Café & Restaurant locations added
During 2009, two more Novak Café & Restaurant locations were added—one in Kragujevac and the other in Belgrade.
2009: Djokovic and Nadal contest at Madrid Masters
In 2009, Djokovic and Nadal contested a classic match at the Madrid Masters semifinal.
2009: Confirms Serbia Representation
In 2009, Djokovic confirmed he chose to represent Serbia, stating he was "proud of being a Serbian."
2010: Djokovic and Federer contest at US Open
In 2010, Djokovic and Roger Federer contested in the US Open semifinals.
2010: Aided victims of the Haiti earthquake and Queensland floods
In 2010, Djokovic participated in charity matches to aid victims of the Haiti earthquake and the 2010–11 Queensland floods.
2010: Appearance in Martin Solveig's "Hello" Music Video and Dedication of "The Joker" Song
In 2010, Novak Djokovic appeared in Martin Solveig and Dragonette's music video for "Hello". Also in 2010, the Serbian band Zona B recorded the song "The Joker", dedicating it to Djokovic.
2010: Connection with Nutritionist Igor Četojević and Gluten Intolerance Discovery
Since 2010, Novak Djokovic has been connected with nutritionist Igor Četojević, who identified his gluten intolerance and recommended dietary changes, which led him to adopt a vegan diet.
April 2011: Awarded Order of St. Sava I Class
On 28 April 2011, Patriarch Irinej of Serbia awarded Novak Djokovic the Order of St. Sava I class for his contributions to monasteries and charitable work.
June 2011: Awarded Order of Serbian National Defense and Belgrade Homecoming
In June 2011, Novak Djokovic was awarded the Order of Serbian National Defense in America I class and had a homecoming celebration in Belgrade after winning his first Wimbledon title and reaching the No. 1 ranking.
November 2011: Visit to Jelena Genčić and Filming for The Expendables 2
In November 2011, Novak Djokovic visited his childhood coach Jelena Genčić and filmed a cameo for The Expendables 2, which was later cut from the final movie.
December 2011: Novak Café & Restaurant location opened in Novi Sad
On 16 December 2011, a Novak Café & Restaurant location in Novi Sad was opened.
2011: Djokovic and Murray contest at Italian Open
In 2011, Djokovic and Andy Murray contested an instant classic match at the Italian Open semifinals.
2011: Djokovic and Nadal contest at Miami Masters
In 2011, Djokovic and Nadal contested a classic match at the Miami Masters final.
2011: Djokovic and Federer contest at US Open and French Open
In 2011, Djokovic and Roger Federer contested in the US Open and French Open semifinals.
March 2012: Profiled on 60 Minutes and Named Among TIME's 100 Most Influential People
In March 2012, Novak Djokovic was profiled on the CBS show 60 Minutes and was named among the 100 most influential people of 2012 by TIME magazine.
2012: Djokovic at the 2012 Summer Olympics
In 2012, Djokovic served as Serbia's flag bearer at the London Summer Olympics. He reached the semifinals but finished fourth after losing to Murray and del Potro. Djokovic also defended his Rogers Cup title and reached the US Open final, losing to Murray.
2012: Selected as Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year
In 2012, Djokovic was selected as the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year for his contributions through the foundation, his role as a UNICEF national ambassador, and other charitable projects.
2012: Djokovic comments on modern style of play in Australian Open
In 2012, after his semifinal win against Andy Murray in the Australian Open tournament, Djokovic commented on the modern style of play in an interview with Jim Courier.
2012: Serbia Open folded
The Serbia Open tournament folded in 2012 after four editions, and its place in the ATP calendar was taken over by the Düsseldorf Open.
September 2013: Engagement to Jelena Ristić
In September 2013, Novak Djokovic and Jelena Ristić became engaged.
2013: Djokovic and Wawrinka at Australian and US Open
In 2013, Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka met in two five-set matches. At the Australian Open fourth round, Djokovic won 12–10 in the fifth set, and at the US Open semifinals, Djokovic won 6–4 in the fifth set.
2013: Views on Water and Emotions in "Serve to Win"
In his 2013 autobiography, Serve to Win, Novak Djokovic wrote about a "researcher" who experimented with water exposed to different emotions, expressing his beliefs about the influence of emotions on water.
July 2014: Marriage to Jelena Ristić
On 10 July 2014, Novak Djokovic married Jelena Ristić on Montenegro's Sveti Stefan island, in the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Stephen.
October 2014: Birth of First Child
In October 2014, Novak Djokovic and Jelena Ristić welcomed their first child, a boy.
2014: Djokovic and Federer contest at Wimbledon
In 2014, Djokovic and Roger Federer contested in the Wimbledon final.
2014: Djokovic receives walkover win against Federer
In 2014, Djokovic received a walkover win against Roger Federer.
2014: Support for Balkans flood victims
In 2014, during the Balkans floods, Djokovic sparked worldwide financial and media support for victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. He donated his prize money from the 2014 Rome Masters to flood victims and his foundation collected another $600,000.
March 2015: Novak Café & Restaurant location closed in Novi Sad
In late March 2015, the Novak Café & Restaurant location in Novi Sad closed after operating for just over three years.
May 2015: Launch of Djokolife Nutritional Food Products
In May 2015, following his Rome Masters title win, Novak Djokovic launched Djokolife, a line of nutritional food products.
August 2015: Appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
In August 2015, Djokovic was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
August 2015: Partnership with the World Bank
In August 2015, the Novak Djokovic Foundation partnered with the World Bank to promote early childhood education in Serbia.
October 2015: Novak Café & Restaurant location opened in Banja Luka
On 16 October 2015, a Novak Café & Restaurant location in Banja Luka, Bosnia, was opened within Hotel Trešnja on Banj hill.
2015: Djokovic and Murray contest at French Open
In 2015, Djokovic and Andy Murray contested an instant classic match at the French Open semifinals.
2015: Djokovic and Federer contest at Wimbledon
In 2015, Djokovic and Roger Federer contested in the Wimbledon final.
April 2016: Opening of Eqvita Vegan Restaurant
In April 2016, while in Monte Carlo for the Monte-Carlo Masters, Novak Djokovic opened a vegan restaurant named Eqvita.
2016: Donation to Melbourne City Mission
Following his 2016 Australian Open victory, Djokovic donated $20,000 to Melbourne City Mission's early childhood education program to help disadvantaged children.
2016: Djokovic and Murray contest at French Open
In 2016, Djokovic and Andy Murray contested an instant classic match at the French Open final.
2017: Djokovic and Murray contest at Qatar Open
In 2017, Djokovic and Andy Murray contested an instant classic match at the Qatar Open final.
2017: Birth of Daughter
In 2017, Novak Djokovic and Jelena Ristić had their daughter.
2018: Djokovic and Nadal contest at Wimbledon
In 2018, Djokovic and Nadal contested a classic match at the Wimbledon semifinal.
2018: Djokovic and Federer contest at Paris Masters
In 2018, Djokovic and Roger Federer contested in the Paris Masters semifinals.
2018: Australian Open and Elbow Surgery
In 2018, Djokovic won the Kooyong Classic exhibition against Dominic Thiem. At the Australian Open, he reached the fourth round before losing to Chung Hyeon and later in January 2018, he underwent elbow surgery.
2018: Elbow Surgery and Emotional Reaction
In 2018, following his elbow surgery, Novak Djokovic expressed feeling guilty and emotional, stating his preference for natural healing methods over surgeries and medications.
March 2019: Closure of Eqvita Restaurant
In March 2019, Novak Djokovic's vegan restaurant, Eqvita, located in Monte Carlo, reportedly closed.
2019: Andre Agassi interview in 2019
In 2019, Andre Agassi gave an interview with the Times of India.
March 2020: Donation for COVID-19 relief
In March 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic spread to Serbia, Djokovic and his wife announced that they would donate €1 million for the purchase of ventilators and medical equipment to support hospitals and other medical institutions. He also made a donation to Bergamo, Italy, and to Novi Pazar, Serbia, and North Mitrovica, Kosovo.
April 2020: Opposition to Forced COVID-19 Vaccination
In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Novak Djokovic expressed his opposition to forced vaccination and clarified his remarks, stating that he is not against all vaccines but against forced vaccination, emphasizing his careful approach to what he puts into his body.
August 2020: Formation of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA)
In August 2020, Novak Djokovic resigned from the ATP Players Council and formed the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) with Vasek Pospisil to promote the interests of tennis players.
2020: ATP Cup Victory, Australian Open Win, and COVID-19 Diagnosis
In 2020, Djokovic led Serbia to victory at the ATP Cup and won his eighth Australian Open title. In June 2020, he tested positive for COVID-19 during the Adria Tour, leading to criticism and his subsequent apology.
2020: Beliefs on Prayer, Gratitude, and Water
In 2020, Novak Djokovic spoke of his belief that prayer and gratitude can transform toxic food or polluted water into healing water, claiming that scientists have proven that water molecules react to emotions, which is scientifically dubious.
April 2021: Freshwater Snail Species Named After Djokovic
In April 2021, a team of Balkan biospeleologists named a recently discovered freshwater snail species, Travunijana djokovici, after Novak Djokovic.
November 2021: Visa Granted
In November 18, 2021, Djokovic was granted a visa to enter Australia.
December 2021: Positive COVID-19 Test
In December 16, 2021, Djokovic had a positive COVID-19 test, which he cited as the reason for receiving a medical exemption for the Australian Open.
2021: Djokovic and Sinner first encounter at Monte-Carlo Masters
In 2021, Djokovic and Jannik Sinner first encountered each other at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
2021: Djokovic and Nadal contest at French Open
In 2021, Djokovic and Nadal contested a classic match at the French Open semifinal.
2021: Increased Scrutiny Over Vaccination Stance
In late 2021, Novak Djokovic's views on vaccination faced increased scrutiny leading up to the 2022 Australian Open, with government officials indicating that tennis players would need to be vaccinated to enter the tournament.
January 2022: Confirmation of Unvaccinated Status to Australian Border Force
In January 2022, while being interviewed by the Australian Border Force, Novak Djokovic confirmed that he was unvaccinated.
February 2022: Reaffirmation of Vaccine Stance in BBC Interview
In February 2022, Novak Djokovic stated in an interview with the BBC that he believes in personal freedom of choice regarding vaccination and would be willing to forgo tournament entry to uphold his principles.
April 2022: Foundation's impact
As of April 2022, the Novak Djokovic Foundation has built 50 schools, is building their 51st, and has supported more than 20,800 children and over a thousand families.
2022: Australian Open Visa Controversy and Deportation
In 2022, Djokovic's participation in the Australian Open was marked by controversy over his vaccination status, visa cancellation, and eventual deportation.
2022: Djokovic appears in the documentary about Roger Federer
In 2022, Novak Djokovic appears in the documentary Federer: Twelve Final Days about Roger Federer's final tournament before his retirement, the 2022 Laver Cup.
2022: Impact of Vaccination Stance on Tournament Participation and Ranking
In 2022, Novak Djokovic's stance against the COVID-19 vaccine led to his inability to participate in major tournaments like the Australian Open and US Open, as well as losing his No. 1 ranking.
2022: Publication of "Facing Novak Djokovic" Book
In 2022, a book titled "Facing Novak Djokovic", featuring interviews with ATP players detailing their experiences competing against Djokovic, was published.
2022: Beetle Species Named After Djokovic
In 2022, a new species of beetle in the genus Duvalius discovered near Ljubovija, Serbia, was named Duvalius djokovici after Novak Djokovic by Nikola Vesović.
July 2024: First man on the cover of Vogue Adria
In July 2024, Novak Djokovic became the first man and first athlete to appear on the cover of Vogue Adria.
April 2025: Serbian President avoids mentioning Djokovic's name
In April 2025, while reading a letter from a child who admired Novak Djokovic, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić intentionally avoided saying Djokovic's name, instead saying "Nikola Jokić". This occurred amidst the backlash Djokovic received for supporting anti-corruption protests.
August 2025: Co-ownership of Le Mans FC
In August 2025, Novak Djokovic became a co-owner of the French Ligue 2 club Le Mans FC through the Brazilian consortium OutField, alongside Felipe Massa, Kevin Magnussen, and Georgios Frangulis.
January 2026: Stepping Away from PTPA
In January 2026, Novak Djokovic announced that he was stepping away from the PTPA, citing differences over transparency, governance, and his role within the organization.
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