"I’m like I cannot miss one ball, my goal is to play like a superhero today" - Olga Danilovic uncovers special bond with Djokovic while exposing pressure to play alongside him

Novak Djokovic is the obvious star tennis player to come out of Serbia, but on the women's side Olga Danilovic is also flying the flag high. She has been lucky enough to play alongside her fellow countryman, unveiling what her relationship is like with the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

The 24-year-old still has a long and hopefully prosperous career in tennis. Earlier this year she reached a career-high 32nd in the world. Beforehand she had also climaxed at the Rouen Open final, losing out to Elina Svitolina in straight sets. However, her form has slightly fallen off in the final few months of 2025. She experienced early exits in the final two Grand Slams whilst being unable to make any progress in the Asian swing. She culminated her season with a quarter-final in the Japan Open, leaving her down in 67th in the world.

Danilovic was in awe of Djokovic, praising him for the advice he has offered while labelling him as a 'friend.' “He is very involved with Serbian tennis, I would say Balkan, he’s very open to us to speak about all the things,” Danilovic said on the Tennis Insider Club podcast. “And when you’re young and you have no idea what’s happening, you know asking him and him giving you advice it’s very different. When you speak to him…after I’ve finished the conversation I’m like ‘Give me a racket I’m going to beat everyone’, because you feel like he really mastered the game. Especially his mentality and the way he’s dealing with a lot of things and I’m very proud that I can call him my friend."

The pair have stepped out onto the court numerous times together in the past. The most recent was a short-lived experience at the revamped US Open mixed doubles event. They would lose in the first-round to Russian duo Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva. Before that, Danilovic had partnered Djokovic in the 2024 United Cup as they represented Serbia. They won both their doubles clashes to make it out of the group before falling short in the quarter-finals against hosts Australia.

It was a nerve-wracking experience for Danilovic. “We speak I would say often, I went to different types of advice. As you said, the successful people don’t judge, I never felt uncomfortable, ‘Is it going to sound stupid if I say that I s*** my pants before this match or these things?’. The United Cup we played together in mixed doubles, I was tight and then next level tight."

However, these nerves came from not wanting to let her teammate down, something she did not do. “I’m like I cannot miss one ball, my goal is to play like a superhero today, and I mean we won and it was such a nice moment," she admitted. "I felt when the last point, I think he did the volley and I went kind of like we won, because I wanted it so much and I felt like…you know, I’m not going to disappoint you. You didn’t disappoint me by playing with me, I’m not going to disappoint you, I’m going to play the best.

“So that was a really bucket list moment for me," she continued. "You know, when we were walking on the court I remember I saw on the big screen and I saw Serbian and we play for Serbia and he is more passionate, and I see myself walking and I see him behind walking and I’m like ‘Oh my God, we’re stepping on’."

“His best advice, I don’t know I can never tell you like one thing that he told me, but it’s more of the mental toughness that he has," Danilovic said. Danilovic unveiled how mesmerised she is every time Djokovic steps onto the court, using his Olympic triumph as a prime case study. "For me, every time I watch him I’m like ‘How man? How?’, and I don’t know this Olympics that he won, I think it was the most emotional day in our whole country, I think everyone was crying."

Danilovic continued to speak highly of Djokovic. “So, I would just say that the way he is representing himself and the way that whenever we speak, like he’s very true to himself and that’s what I honour the most with him that he’s really true to himself, where whatever he does, that’s what he feels. So, I would say maybe do what you feel like doing. It’s what he shows us every day and I take it as the best, best advice,” she concluded.