Srdjan Djokovic, father of No. 1-ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic, talked about his family's past financial troubles in an interview with the Belgrade-based newspaper Kurir.
Srdjan says Novak told him he wanted to be a world champion tennis player at age 10.
From then on, Srdjan and his wife Diana devoted themselves to Novak's career — asking friends for money, working 15-hour days, and even borrowing money from a loan shark.
Some of the sacrifices they made while raising Novak in Serbia:
- He borrowed money from a loan shark, who charged him 15% monthly interest.
- The Djokovic's sold all their gold and lived off the money for months.
- They lived in rented apartments for 17 years.
- They didn't tell Novak about their money issues until he was 17 years old.
- Diana Djokovic worked 15-hour days and raised Novak's two brothers while Srdjan was with Novak at tournaments.
Novak’s father is especially proud of Novak for one thing, he says. When Novak was a young boy he would get terribly angry when he would lose a match, he did not take it the right way. Srdjan often told him to congratulate his rival when he loses, and to tell him – well done, I will do everything I can to win the next time. The defeat is so much better than the victory you get to after torture. The defeat makes one to think about his game and learn from mistakes so he would not repeat them again. Novak realized that, and everyone can see how he behaves now, says Srdjan.
Novak is the only one who behaves the same way in life and sport, says Srdjan. There is no athlete who treats his opponents in the same way when he loses and wins, said Novak father.
Novak’s father is especially proud of Novak for one thing, he says. When Novak was a young boy he would get terribly angry when he would lose a match, he did not take it the right way. Srdjan often told him to congratulate his rival when he loses, and to tell him – well done, I will do everything I can to win the next time. The defeat is so much better than the victory you get to after torture. The defeat makes one to think about his game and learn from mistakes so he would not repeat them again. Novak realized that, and everyone can see how he behaves now, says Srdjan.
Novak is the only one who behaves the same way in life and sport, says Srdjan. There is no athlete who treats his opponents in the same way when he loses and wins, said Novak father.
He also said that Nadal used to be Novak’s best friend while he was winning. But when things changed, they were no longer friends. This is not sport, says Srdjan. This is what Novak has in him, but others don’t. Federer may still be the best tennis player in the history of tennis, says Srdjan, but as man he is completely opposite. He attacked Novak at Davis Cup in Geneva, he realized Novak is his successor and in every way tried to discredit him.
Sum1 pls remind dis old man that there's no love in tennis.. C'mon this is the toughest sport in the world, u cannot tel me after being on the losing side in a 5 hour match, I wl stat shining teeth wit u.. Dats morally wrong sef
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