Who are Novak Djokovic’s parents, Dijana and Srdjan Djokovic?

Novak Djokovic credits parents for his enduring success despite early hardships.

Who are Novak Djokovic’s parents, Dijana and Srdjan Djokovic?

Novak Djokovic's parents (image via: Vimbuzz)

Currently ranked No. 1 in the world, Novak Djokovic has won 98 ATP titles to date, including seven in 2023 alone. Djokovic won his first major at the 2008 Australian Open at just 20 years old, ending the reigns of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. With a staggering 24 Grand Slam titles to his name, the Serbian is currently the favorite to win all the major tournaments.

Novak Djokovic’s parents have played a significant role in his tennis journey, staying supportive from his early years to his current success. Even as he reached the top ranks in professional tennis, they continued to be in the spotlight.

Who is Novak Djokovic’s father, Srdjan Djokovic?

Srdjan Djokovic, Novak Djokovic’s father, was a professional skier and ski instructor. He first encountered the sport while working in the Serbian highlands, where he opened a café and sold sports equipment.

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His father
Novak Djokovic and his father Srdjan

Since Novak Djokovic began playing tennis, Srdjan has been a topic of controversy. Roger Federer had made some nasty remarks about Novak’s sinus condition back in 2006 and even joked about the Serb. Srdjan has since disliked the former World No. 1 and has attacked him quite a lot of times since then. 

According to him, Federer was envious of Nole because he knew he would be his successor. His father also remarked on Rafael Nadal, which led to Novak apologizing on his behalf. Srdjan’s tweets were constantly a topic of conversation in the media.

Who is Novak Djokovic’s mother, Dijana Djokovic?

Dijana Djokovic, Novak’s mother, owned a fast-food joint with her husband and Novak’s father. Jelena Gencic, a Yugoslav tennis player who managed to get a glimpse of Novak, discovered him here. Dijana was instrumental in getting her kid to practice with Gencic. She even allowed him to train abroad.

His mother
Novak Djokovic with his mother Dijana

In reality, a mosaic of Dijana was created by Jovan Kentera, a Montenegrin artist from St. Stephen. She was depicted as the Virgin Mary since she was the driving force behind Novak’s success.

She is the mother of the new age, according to him, having given birth to one of the most powerful Serbs. Djokovic’s parents have always been their staunchest supporters, believing that their son will go down in history as the greatest tennis player of all time.

Know more about Novak Djokovic’s brothers

The former World No. 1’s younger brothers have not had much luck as players. Neither of them broke into the Top 100 during their playing careers. Marko achieved his career-high ranking of World No. 571. As for Djordje, he was ranked as high as only World No. 1463.

Novak Djokovic's brothers
Novak Djokovic’s brothers Marko and Djordje

While they haven’t officially retired from the Tour, they are no longer active players. Djordje is currently the Tournament Director of the Serbian Open, an ATP-250 event played on the clay courts of Belgrade. Coincidentally, the venue is named Novak Tennis Center.

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