Throwback Video: 7-year old Djokovic always wanted to be a world champion

Thursday, 12 March 2020 at 07:00

World No.1 Novak Djokovic has amassed quite the record since the start of his illustrious career, and he is showing no signs of slowing down.

Djokovic began the year in spectacular fashion, leading Serbia to victory at the inaugural ATP Cup in January. He then proceeded to capture his eighth Australian Open title a few weeks later. After defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas to claim his fifth Dubai title, the Serbian has garnered an impressive 18-0 winning streak to start the 2020 season.

Having been playing tennis since the age of four, it might be assumed that Djokovic developed his winning mentality in his adolescent years. However, the 32-year old has always been driven and this could not be more evident in the clip below.

Taken from a 1994 interview in Serbia, a 7-year old Djokovic was already viewed as someone with the potential to become a star. Even more impressive is the fact that he seemed to understand the various aspects of the game, and knew in his heart that he possessed what it took to become a champion.

Translation

Interviewer: What do you like the most about tennis?
Novak: Forehand, backhand, volley. With those we win the opponents.
Interviewer: Are the opponents angry when you win? Novak: No.
Interviewer: And you when they win?
Novak: No.
Interviewer: So a true fair play. Ok, so tell me, do you play (children games)?
Novak: I play... I play at night, because during the day I have school, then in the afternoons I practice, after practice I do homework, and that's why I play at night.
Interviewer: Is tennis for you a game or an obligation?
Novak: An obligation.
Interviewer: What's your goal?
Novak: My goal in tennis is to be a champion.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g66pGnbdp4[/embed]

Arthur Ajayi

Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.

As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.

With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.

See author's posts

claps 0visitors 0

Venus on equal prize money: I'm happy I was able to do my part

Throwback: Tennis's best singers perform in Indian Wells