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 world No. 1 by the ATP (428) and year-end No. 1 finishes (8). He's won 100 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including a record 24 majors and 10 Australian Open titles. He also holds records for Masters titles (40) and year-end championships (7). Djokovic is the only man to simultaneously hold all four major titles across three surfaces and the only man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam. He is also the only player to complete a Career Golden Masters twice and the only singles player to have won all of the Big Titles.

Sections (6)

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

1958: Reference to Migration Act 1958

In 1958, the Migration Act 1958 of Australia was referenced when Alex Hawke, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, cancelled Djokovic's visa, citing public health and order concerns.

May 1987: Novak Djokovic's Birth

In May 1987, Novak Djokovic was born in Belgrade, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia, to Dijana (née Žagar) and Srdjan Djokovic.

May 1992: Baptism in the Serbian Orthodox Church

In May 1992, Novak Djokovic was baptized in the Žiča Monastery, alongside his mother and younger brother Marko, signifying his lifelong connection to the Serbian Orthodox Church.

1993: Attended Tennis Camp Organized by Teniski Klub Partizan

In the summer of 1993, at age six, Djokovic was sent to a tennis camp organized by the Teniski Klub Partizan and overseen by Jelena Genčić, where his parents ran a fast-food parlour.

September 1999: Moved to Pilić Tennis Academy

In September 1999, due to his rapid development, Djokovic moved to the Pilić tennis academy in Oberschleißheim, Germany, spending four years there after being contacted by Nikola Pilić.

2001: Dominated U14 Circuit

In 2001, Djokovic dominated the U14 circuit on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour, winning multiple titles, including the U14 European Championship, and leading Serbia to victory in the European Summer Cup. He finished the year ranked No. 1 on the ETA U14 list.

2002: Won Major U16 Tournaments in France

In 2002, Djokovic, competing in U16 events, won two major tournaments in France: the Derby Cadets in La Baule and Le Pontet in Avignon. He also won his first ITF title in Pančevo.

2003: Competed at French Open and US Open

In 2003, Djokovic competed at the French Open and US Open.

February 2004: Junior World Ranking of No. 24

In February 2004, Djokovic achieved a combined junior world ranking of No. 24.

2005: Started Dating Jelena Ristić

In 2005, Djokovic began dating Jelena Ristić, whom he met in high school.

2009: Confirmed Choosing to Represent Serbia

In 2009, Djokovic confirmed that he had serious talks about representing Great Britain but ultimately chose to represent Serbia, due to his strong national identity.

2010: Part of the "Big Three"

By 2010, Djokovic had begun to distinguish himself from the field, and the trio of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic was referred to as the "Big Three" by fans and commentators.

2010: Connection with Nutritionist Igor Četojević and Gluten Intolerance Discovery

Since 2010, Novak Djokovic has been connected with nutritionist Igor Četojević, who uses Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Četojević allegedly discovered that Djokovic suffers from gluten intolerance and should remove gluten from his diet.

November 2011: Visit to Jelena Genčić and Cameo in The Expendables 2

In November 2011, Novak Djokovic visited his childhood tennis coach, Jelena Genčić, at her home in Belgrade, bringing his Wimbledon trophy. Later that month, Djokovic filmed a cameo for the movie The Expendables 2 in Sofia, Bulgaria, but his part was eventually cut from the final version. These events all happened in November 2011.

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September 2013: Engagement to Jelena Ristić

In September 2013, Djokovic became engaged to Jelena Ristić.

July 2014: Marriage to Jelena Ristić

On July 10, 2014, Djokovic and Jelena Ristić were married on Montenegro's Sveti Stefan island, in the Church of Saint Stephen.

October 2014: Birth of First Child

In October 2014, Djokovic and Jelena Ristić had their first child, a boy.

2015: Appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

In 2015, Djokovic was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

2016: Elected President of ATP Player Council

In 2016, Djokovic was elected as the president of the ATP Player Council.

2017: Birth of Daughter

In 2017, Djokovic and Jelena Ristić welcomed their daughter.

2018: 2018 Australian Open and Elbow Surgery

In 2018, Novak Djokovic reached the fourth round of the Australian Open before losing to Chung Hyeon and then underwent elbow surgery later in January.

November 2021: Visa Granted in November 2021

In November 2021, Novak Djokovic was granted a visa to enter Australia, allowing him to participate in the Australian Open.

December 2021: Positive COVID-19 Test in December 2021

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

2022: Vajda Split

In 2022, the split between Novak Djokovic and Marián Vajda concluded, ending a long-standing coaching partnership.

2023: "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia" statement at French Open

In 2023, following his first-round victory at the French Open, Novak Djokovic wrote "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence" on a camera lens, responding to recent clashes in Kosovo, which led to criticism and calls for disciplinary action.