While many local sporting bodies and academies worldwide are trying to make tennis training more affordable for kids, the sport is still widely considered an elitist endeavor for the privileged few. Many kids don’t have access to the courts, equipment and coaching needed to pursue a career in the sport, let alone the funds to join an academy.
That’s precisely why Novak Djokovic — arguably the GOAT of men’s tennis — remains an inspiration. The Serb grew up in a middle-class family in Belgrade and endured many trials and tribulations as a teenager, including living through the Yugoslav Wars in the late 1990s. Djokovic once told the story of being forced to train inside an abandoned swimming pool due to the lack of tennis courts in war-torn Serbia.
Despite all his success, Djokovic continues to honor his humble beginnings at every turn. In a recent interview with La Nacion, his longtime partner and wife, Jelena, spoke of why the tennis icon considers himself a “champion of the common people,” not a luminary.
“Tennis is a very luxurious sport, a white sport, a sport of rich people,” Jelena said. “But Novak’s fans are ordinary people, people with an ordinary job and they can’t always afford to have tickets to go see his matches. But when you walk down the street and you see the workers who build buildings or whatever, they shout: ‘Hey, Novak!’ Everyone stops him. I think that is what gives him the power and the energy to keep going. Even though he has already achieved everything, I think his greatest victory is being a champion of the people, yes. He is the people’s champion.”
Jelena has been a champion, in her own right, as a philanthropist, helping many underprivileged children and families in Serbia as part of the Novak Djokovic Foundation.
Djokovic’s pursuit of a record-breaking 25th major and 100th ATP title did not come to fruition in 2024, but the 37-year-old continues to play tennis at a high level. He withdrew from the upcoming Paris Masters and is doubtful for the year-ending ATP Finals after declaring that he will prioritize majors and country-based events going forward.
