Novak Djokovic is one of the greatest players ever to grace the tennis courts, having won a combined total of 20 Grand Slam singles titles. In terms of Grand Slam trophies, the Serbian World No. 1 is tied with seasoned giants Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic has held the No. 1 ranking for a record 338 weeks and has concluded the year as the ATP year-end No. 1 on a joint-record six occasions. He has a staggering 85 ATP singles trophies to his credit. It includes a record nine Australian Open crowns and a joint-record 36 Masters titles. The Serbian is the only player in the Open Era to achieve a double career Grand Slam. Besides, he is the only player to complete the career Golden Masters on the modern ATP Tour, which he has done twice.
Regarded as an aggressive baseline player, Djokovic's backhand is often recognised as one of the best in the modern game. He is particularly good at returning serves and his backhand down the line is one of his biggest strengths. His serve is another major weapon he has in his kitty, helping him to win several free points. Djokovic started out playing tennis when he was four years old. Marko and Djordje, his two younger brothers, have also played professional tennis.
During his junior years, he was a talented young player and was quickly identified as a future prospect. Djokovic turned professional in 2003 and joined the ATP Tour around the same time as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were establishing their supremacy in men's tennis. He primarily competed in Futures and Challenger tournaments at the start of his professional career.
Djokovic won his first ATP title at the Dutch Open in Amersfoort 2006, defeating Nicolas Massu in the final. He ascended into the top 20 after winning his second career crown at the Moselle Open in Metz, France. In 2007, Djokovic lost the Indian Wells final to Rafael Nadal. However, he defeated the Spaniard in Key Biscayne in the quarterfinals before beating Guillermo Canas for the title in the final.
Later, he advanced to the US Open final, where he failed to convert set points in the first and second sets before falling to top-seeded Federer in straight sets. Djokovic then reached his second successive Grand Slam final without dropping a set at the 2008 Australian Open. It also included a semi-final triumph over two-time reigning champion Federer. In the process, Djokovic became the youngest player to reach the semi-finals of all four Grand Slam tournaments. The Serbian then won his first Grand Slam singles title after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets in the final. This was the first Grand Slam singles championship not won by Federer or Nadal since the 2005 Australian Open.
By 2010, Djokovic had created a path of his own, moving away from the rest of the pack to join Federer and Nadal as the "Big Three". The trio dominated men's tennis for more than a decade as other players struggled to match their levels. Djokovic became No. 1 for the first time in 2011, winning three of four majors and a then-season record of five Masters events. Between 2012 and 2015, the Serbian won four of his five ATP Finals titles in a row. Following four straight year-end finishes at No. 3, Djokovic went on to finish No. 1 for six years and No. 2 for three years during the next decade.
In 2015, Djokovic had another stellar year, reaching fifteen straight finals, including all four majors and eight Masters finals. He ended up winning three majors, a season-record six Masters events, and the ATP Finals. The next year, he won the 2016 French Open, thereby completing the non-calendar year Grand Slam and career Grand Slam.
He became the first man in the Open Era to complete the career Grand Slam twice by winning the 2021 French Open in splendid fashion. The year 2021 also proved to be quite special for the 34-year-old Serbian, who reached the final of all four Grand Slams. He ended up winning the first three but lost the US Open final to Daniil Medvedev. Besides, Djokovic has led the Serbian national team to their maiden Davis Cup title in 2010. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he won a bronze medal.
Australian Open: W (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021)
French Open: W (2016, 2021)
Wimbledon: W (2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021)
US Open: W (2011, 2015, 2018)
