Novak Djokovic's journey from a kid in war-torn Serbia to winning 23 Grand Slam titles

Novak Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2008. And now in 2023, after winning his third French Open title, Djokovic has become the first man to win 23 Grand Slam titles.

In an era of men's tennis where either you were a Roger Federer fan or a Rafael Nadal fan, Djokovic created a space for himself. And then he went on to break the Swiss and the Spaniard's stranglehold on the game through a combination of exceptional skill, mental resilience, and consistent performances. And now he has surpassed both the greats and is considered the greatest men's tennis player of all time.

On Sunday (June 11), Djokovic clinched his 23rd Grand Slam singles title, breaking a tie with Nadal, and moving three ahead of the retired Federer, with a 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Casper Ruud at Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris.

Djokovic's journey to becoming the best in tennis has been a tough and remarkable one. Throughout his career, he has faced numerous challenges and obstacles, both on and off the court, but his unwavering determination and exceptional skills have helped him rise to the top of the sport.

Shaped by hardships

Childhood: Born on May 22, 1987, in Belgrade, Serbia, Djokovic started playing tennis at a young age and showed immense talent and potential from the beginning. Djokovic grew up in war-torn Serbia, and his family often struggled to make ends meet. After spending early years of his childhood in Serbia, Djokovic moved to Niki Pilic's academy in Munich, Germany in 1999. However, breaking into the elite ranks of tennis was no easy feat.

Dealing with Federer and Nadal Dominance: Djokovic's career coincided with the dominance of Federer and Nadal, two of the greatest players in tennis history. Breaking through their stranglehold on the sport and making his mark was a significant challenge. Djokovic had to find a way to consistently compete against them and overcome the psychological barrier of playing against the tennis greats.

Physical and mental health struggles: Djokovic has had his fair share of physical and mental health issues. In 2011, he battled a serious shoulder injury, which affected his performance and required extensive rehabilitation. He has also dealt with respiratory issues and allergies that have affected his play on certain occasions. Djokovic has also opened up about his struggles with mental health. He has said that he has experienced anxiety and depression, and that he has sought professional help for these issues.

Vaccination status: Djokovic's vaccination status has been a major source of controversy in recent years. He has refused to get vaccinated against Covid-19, which has led to him being banned from competing in several tournaments, including the Australian Open.

A career timeline of Djokovic

2003: Djokovic turned professional at the age of 16.

2005: He made his breakthrough on the ATP Tour by reaching the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Championships.

2007: Djokovic won his first ATP title in Adelaide, Australia, and reached the final of the US Open, where he lost to Federer.

2008: Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final. He also won four other ATP titles that year.

2011: The Serb had a sensational season, winning three out of the four Grand Slam titles (Australian Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) and reaching the final of the French Open. He achieved a 70-6 win-loss record, reached  to the World No 1 ranking, and became the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously.

2012: Djokovic successfully defended his Australian Open title, defeating Nadal in an epic five-set final that lasted nearly six hours. He won a total of six titles that year.

2013: He reached the finals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon but lost. He finished the year as the World No. 2.

2015: Djokovic had an exceptional year, winning three out of the four Grand Slam titles (Australian Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) and reaching the final of the French Open. He also won a record six ATP Masters 1000 titles in a single season and finished the year as the World No. 1.

2016: Djokovic won his sixth Australian Open title, defeating Andy Murray in the final. However, he struggled with consistency throughout the rest of the year and lost his World No. 1 ranking to Murray.

2018: Djokovic dealt with an elbow injury and a dip in form, which led to a decline in his ranking. However, he made a comeback in the second half of the year and won the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open.

2020: Djokovic started the year strongly by winning the Australian Open, his eighth title at Melbourne Park. However, the Covid disrupted the tennis season, and Djokovic faced criticism for organizing the Adria Tour, which resulted in several players testing positive for the virus.

2021: Djokovic had a historic year, winning the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon, thus completing the "Golden Slam" of winning all four Grand Slam titles in a calendar year. He also surpassed Federer and Nadal's record of 20 Grand Slam titles, reaching a total of 21.

2022: Djokovic faced injury issues and struggled to maintain his top form. He had to withdraw from several tournaments due to his Covid vaccination status.

2023: Djokovic claims a record-breaking 10th Australian Open title on January 30. The Serb wins the French Open on June 11 to become first men ever to reach 23 Grand Slam titles.

ALSO READ: 365 days of Djokovic, from being kicked out of Australia to winning Australian Open 2023

Incredible numbers

23 Grand Slams: Djokovic has 10 Australian Opens, seven Wimbledon titles, three US Opens, and three Roland Garros trophies. With his seventh Wimbledon title, he also tied the second spot with William Renshaw and Pete Sampras, trailing only to Federer's eight titles.

• Djokovic is also the first man in tennis history to win two different Grand Slams seven or more times each. The Serb also stretched his unbeaten streak in Melbourne to 28 matches, the longest run in the Open era, which dates to 1968.

387 weeks ranked world No 1: Djokovic has been ranked world No. 1 for a record 387 weeks, which is more than any other male or female tennis player in history.

Oldest French Open winner: At 20 days past his 36th birthday, the Serb is the oldest singles champion at Roland Garros, which is considered the most grueling of all the Grand Slams.

ATP dominance: Djokovic has won 94 ATP singles titles, a joint-record 6 ATP Finals titles, and a record 38 ATP Masters titles. He is the only male player to have won all nine of the Masters tournaments, and has done so twice.

• Djokovic is the only male player to win each Grand Slam, all nine Masters tournaments, and the ATP Finals at least twice.

Player of big tournaments: Djokovic is the only player in history to win each Grand Slam three times and only male player to hold all four Grand Slams on three different surfaces (hard, clay, and grass) at once (2015 Wimbledon to 2016 French Open).

• From 2015 Wimbledon to 2016 Wimbledon, he became the only male player to win 30 consecutive Grand Slam matches across three different surfaces.
• Djokovic has reached an all-time record of 34 Grand Slam finals, and has played in the final of each Grand Slam tournament at least 7 times.