Happy Birthday Nole: Find out some little known facts about Novak Djokovic on his 34th birthday
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Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is undoubtedly one of the greatest tennis players of all-time. The Serbian has achieved tremendous amount of success in the last decade, and is regarded as a part of the Big Three of Tennis which involves the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, apart from himself.
Novak Djokovic is still going strong in his mid-30s, as he celebrates his 34th birthday today. The world number one has already had quite an eventful year so far, having won his 18th Grandslam title in Melbourne. He also surpassed Roger Federer’s record for most weeks at the top of ATP Rankings in March this year.
The success and achievements of Novak Djokovic in his playing career so far, has been well-documented. However, there are certain aspects of Novak Djokovic’s personal and professional life which are little known to many of his die-hard fans. In this article, we look at a list of some of the little known facts about Novak Djokovic, to celebrate his 34th birthday.
Novak Djokovic’s habit of ‘eating grass’ at Wimbledon
Novak Djokovic has achieved tremendous amount of success at Wimbledon in the past decade. The Serbian has won the Championships on five occasions, with the last one coming in 2019, after he defeated Roger Federer in a thrilling five-set final.
Novak Djokovic has often been seen eating the grass on the court at Wimbledon. The 34-year old himself stated that the grass tastes like sweat. After his victory over Roger Federer in 2019, Djokovic bent down and plucked some grass, popping them in his mouth. Sounds strange!! Doesn’t it?
Novak Djokovic’s formula to be in the best possible ‘physical shape’
Athletes are known to follow a strict diet, and avoid junk on a regular basis. However, like the rest of us, they do deserve a few cheat days, and enjoy a bite of their favorite food once in a while. However, Novak Djokovic has eliminated gluten from his meals, and he is gluten intolerant.
Novak Djokovic is a vegan, and does not consume dairy products. The Serbian’s strict adherence to his diet is a reason for his continued success on court. The world number one believes that eliminating gluten from his diet has helped him remain fit.
The Serbian is the first man to win a Non-Calendar Slam
Novak Djokovic burst onto the scene in 2008, after winning the Australian Open title. However, it took him three more years to assert himself on the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The Serbian’s two greatest spells came in 2011 and the 2015-16 season, when it seemed that he was simply invincible.
Novak Djokovic is the only man to win a Career slam in tennis. A Career Slam is also referred to as ‘Non-Calendar Slam,’ which is achieved when a player wins four consecutive majors, but not in the same calendar year. In 2015-16, Novak Djokovic lifted four successive majors, starting from Wimbledon, and ending at the French Open 2016. What was more special was the fact that the Serbian also completed his Career Grandslam, after his victory in Paris.
Why is he called the Djoker?
Novak Djokovic is known to entertain fans on-court with his humor and different player impressions. He has done impressions of several tennis players like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Andy Roddick. The Serbian is nicknamed as the ‘Djoker’ because of his ability to make people laugh with his precise impressions. In the video above, you can see Novak Djokovic impersonating Rafael Nadal, despite losing the Rome Masters 2009 final, which speaks volumes about his sportsmanship.
The woman who discovered Novak Djokovic’s incredible talent
How often have seen an athlete with loads of potential and talent, missing out on the big stage due to lack of opportunities? However, that was not the case with Novak Djokovic, as his superhuman abilities were first spotted by Monica Seles’ coach, Jelena Gencic. Gencic stated that the Serbian was the greatest talent she ever saw after Monica Seles.
She took up Novak Djokovic under her wing at the age of just 6, and trained him for the next three years, until he turned 13. Just a year later, he began his professional journey. And it has been an incredible journey so far.
We end the article with a quote from the Birthday Boy, Novak Djokovic himself.
“BELIEF IS THE MOST COMMON WORD TO ME, EVEN MORE THAN HOPE. FOR ONE TO ACHIEVE HIS DREAMS, HE NEEDS TO BELIEVE IN THEM TRULY.”
Happy 34th Birthday Novak Djokovic!
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Nirmit Mehta
(2425 Articles Published)