BOLOGNA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 19: Novak Djokovic, Serbian tennis player, addresses the audience as he pays tribute to Niki Pilic, former Croatian tennis player during the opening ceremony prior to the Davis Cup Quarter-Final match between Italy and Austria at BolognaFiere Exhibition Centre on November 19, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Tullio Puglia/Getty Images)
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Novak Djokovic admitted he had to “reinvent” himself when his great rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal retired after battling for acceptance amid their duopoly in the sport.Djokovic rapidly ascended to prominence to form part of the ‘Big Three’ in tennis, who won 66 Grand Slam titles between them.The Serbian has now won a record 24 majors himself to move clear of Federer (20) and Nadal (22), and he has reminisced about his own rise to the top.”Life is a beautiful journey and I think we all have our unique stories to tell, and we don’t need to copy anybody else,” said Djokovic at the World Sports Summit in Dubai.
“I’m talking like this because I went through my own experiences where I tried to be someone else when I was breaking through on the tour.
“I tried to be a likeable guy. I was doing impersonations, which, I think they’re fun. I was always doing them. People were really not accepting me as a third guy.
“The Federer and Nadal era was so strong in their rivalry and there was no room for the third guy. But I made some room, I created some room. And it was amazing, the ‘Big Three’ and the golden era that we created.
“I feel like when they retired, also part of me left. So, I had to kind of reinvent myself, find new inspirations. And the reason why I still keep on going is also to see how far I can push my own bar, setting my own path.”
Watch as ecstatic Djokovic collapses to ground after beating Alcaraz for Olympic gold
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Djokovic reached the semi-finals at all four Grand Slams in 2025, but arguably his biggest success in the last two years came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.The Serbian claimed an elusive gold medal by beating Carlos Alcaraz in the gold medal match, and has not ruled out an appearance at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
“I do want to keep on going,” he continued. “The LA Olympics 2028 is kind of a guiding star, but honestly, there is no limit. So, let’s see. You know what I mean? Let’s just keep going.
“I love hitting the tennis ball and I love competing. I was saying to the guys that I was talking to, the greats in football, that it’s really about passion and love, and as long as you really feel like you’re playing on a high level and your body holds on, why not?
“People love to talk and speculate about retirement, because, okay, people love to talk. But at the end of the day, I feel like I’m still contributing to the growth of tennis. That is a beautiful job.”
‘Good friends off-court’ – Sinner balances Alcaraz rivalry with friendship after ATP Finals win
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Djokovic’s immediate focus is on competing with Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, with each winning two of the four majors this calendar year.
“I feel like there’s a change in tennis as well that I want to be part of,” he added. “So, yeah, I’m still good. I’m up for more.
“The younger guys are there. Of course, they’re great. [Sinner and Alcaraz] is the new big rivalry that came up. I just love seeing different generations come and go. I’m still there, so I love to observe.”
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