15 Love with Novak Djokovic: Chasing dreams, lessons for young Novak and more | ATP Tour

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15-Love with Novak Djokovic: Chasing dreams, lessons for young Novak and more

ATPTour.com talks to the 100-time tour level champion in an exclusive Q&A

November 5, 2025

Novak Djokovic is one of the most accomplished players not only in the history of tennis, but in the history of sports in general. The record holder for consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Ranking (428) has rewritten records countless times and learned many lessons about life and tennis in the process.

ATPTour.com caught up with Djokovic ahead of the Wanda Pharma Greek Championship to learn more about his mentality, his best match ever, what it’s like to be at the top of the sport, and more.

What’s a quote you live by?
One of my favorite quotes is, “There’s no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.”

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
This will be a hand painting by me and my family.

What advice would you give to all children about chasing their dreams?
First of all, it’s important to believe in your dreams and don’t let anyone take away your dreams and hopes. I think children have very rich imaginations [creativity] Picture yourself – whether in sports or another area of ​​life – achieving something, being someone, or doing something.

So we just have to let them fly with wings instead of actually cutting them off. Let them be themselves because children’s imaginations are incredible

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned as a father?
The biggest lesson of being a dad is that when you are with your children, you need to be present and not multi-task because whether you are playing with them or doing something else, they need your full attention on what you are doing. You have to be in that moment all the time.

I think that’s what children teach us the most: tolerance, moving on, and living in the moment.

What’s your favorite thing to eat?
I think it makes a difference. I have a sweet tooth, so I would go for the acai bowl.

What’s the best game you’ve ever played?
The best match I ever played was the 2012 Australian Open final against Nadal. This is the longest Grand Slam final ever.

And faced Roger in the 2019 Wimbledon final. That was the best race I’ve ever been in. But probably the best match I ever played was the 2019 Australian Open final against Nadal. I beat him in straight sets in the final and my level of tennis was really high.

You spend more time in the first than anyone else. How does it feel when you’re at the top?
It felt great, but it also felt a bit lonely and felt like a hunted person, so it changed perspective and approach. Obviously this is the ultimate achievement. Being No. 1 in any sport, in any profession, is the ultimate achievement. This was my dream as a kid: to win Wimbledon and become world number one.

So when you achieve that, you understand that there are different dimensions and ways to stay there. You suddenly have to defend the position rather than chase it. Obviously it’s a great feeling. But at the same time, you want to stay there, so you feel a little defensive sometimes because you want to hold on.

It’s really about the mindset of how you approach [it]. I think it’s important to always feel like you have to create and keep going and keep winning, and that you’re part of the same group of people who are chasing something: a title or a position. Because once you think, “Oh, I’m number one and everyone’s trying to take that spot away from me,” you’re going to create unnecessary pressure on yourself.

What is the biggest key to your success?
Just dedication. Passion and dedication. Passion and love for the sport makes you immerse yourself in what you are doing.

Who is the most underrated player you have ever faced?
[Stan] Wawrinka, I think he’s seriously underrated considering he’s a three-time Grand Slam champion. I think people often forget about him and what he accomplished. He’s achieved over 90% of players in the history of the game, so I’d probably pick him.

If you could coach a young Novak, what tips would you tell your younger self about your game?
I would tell him to play the long game, be patient and trust the process. And try to enjoy the process and have fun with it.

Balance professional and personal life. Yes: dedication, dedication and hard work, this is a must. But don’t lose yourself in the process. Don’t waste your youth, which means you should also live your life because you can’t turn back time.

If you could take any at-bat from any player, which one would you choose?
It’s going to be a serve from one of the serving robots, whether it’s Karlovic or Isner, Opelka. I’m fine with anyone 6’10” or taller.

If you could play in any game in history that wasn’t your own, which one would you choose?
This might be one of those epic Borg-McEnroe matches that I would love to witness from the stands. Alternatively, I would love the opportunity to play with a wooden racket and see the difference. I would probably hit a heavy topspin shot with it pretty hard.

But I love the history of our games, so it’s amazing to see how far games have come in the last 50 years in terms of technology and everything. So I’d love to witness that era firsthand.

Do you have a long-standing rivalry with Federer and Nadal and now a new one with Alcaraz and Sinner? How do you compare to your competitors?
Very different because I spent most of my career with my two greatest rivals: Nadal and Federer. Of course, Carlos Alcaraz and Yannick Sinner are also my competitors at the moment, but they are too young. I have a 15-year gap with them on tour, so our rivalry is a few years old, and I have a 20-year rivalry with the others. So there’s really no comparison.

Of course, it’s great that there’s a new fierce rivalry in our sport between Sinner and Alcaraz. They’ve played some incredible games over the last 18 months and hopefully they can continue because that’s what our sport needs.

What words would you use to describe the tennis player Novak?
I would use Nick Kyrgios to describe me: Meticulous.

If you could change one outcome in your career, which one would you choose?
There isn’t any. No, because everything happens for a reason.