Novak DjokovicSerbian tennis playerActions

Novak Djokovic (born May 22, 1987, Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia [now in Serbia]) is a Serbian tennis player who is one of the greatest men’s players in the history of the game. His 24 Grand Slam singles titles—which includes an unprecedented 10 Australian Open championships—is a record for men. Djokovic is considered one of the game’s best returners, and he is also known for his backhand shot as well as his physical endurance.

Novak Djokovic after winning his 24th Grand Slam title, 2023

1987, Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia [now in Serbia] (age 36)Awards And Honors: French Open Wimbledon Championships Australian Open U.S. Open Davis Cup (2010)
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Djokovic took up tennis at age four and quickly ascended the junior ranks. Despite the hardships that came with growing up in the war-torn Serbia of the 1990s, he became Europe’s top-ranked 14-and-under player and later the number one 16-and-under player on the Continent before turning professional in 2003. Djokovic entered the top 100 of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) at age 18, and in July 2006 he won his first ATP event. After advancing to the semifinals at both the French Open and Wimbledon in 2007, he reached the finals of that year’s U.S. Open but lost in straight sets to Roger Federer. Djokovic’s hot play continued into 2008 as he won his first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open, thereby becoming the first Serbian man to win one of tennis’s four most prestigious singles championships. Later that year he captured a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
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Novak DjokovicNovak Djokovic, 2011.

Djokovic’s progress plateaued for almost three years, as he won just 10 ATP men’s singles tournaments and reached only one Grand Slam final (the 2010 U.S. Open) between February 2008 and the end of 2010. His fortunes turned in December 2010 when he led the Serbian Davis Cup team to the country’s first Davis Cup title. His Davis Cup victories marked the beginning of a 43-match winning steak—the third longest such streak in the Open era (since 1968)—which included a second Australian Open title in January 2011. Djokovic’s remarkable streak ended with a French Open semifinal loss to Federer, but his strong play helped him rise to the number one world ranking shortly after he defeated Rafael Nadal to capture the 2011 Wimbledon championship. Djokovic later defeated Nadal in the U.S. Open final to claim his third Grand Slam title of the year.

At the Australian Open in 2012, he again bested Nadal, winning a five-set thriller that lasted nearly six hours. The two met for the fourth consecutive Grand Slam final at the 2012 French Open, where Djokovic lost to Nadal in four sets. In 2013 Djokovic defeated Andy Murray to win his fourth Australian Open title, and he captured another Wimbledon championship the following year when he beat Federer in a dramatic five-set final. In 2015 he beat Murray to capture his fifth career Australian Open, which made Djokovic the all-time leader in Australian Open men’s singles championships during the Open era. After a loss in the 2015 French Open final, the top-ranked Djokovic bested Federer to win his third Wimbledon championship. He continued his hot play at the U.S. Open, beating Federer in the final to capture his 10th career Grand Slam title. Djokovic ran his winning streak in Grand Slam matches to 21 when he beat Murray in straight sets in the final of the 2016 Australian Open. At the 2016 French Open he again bested Murray in a Grand Slam final. By winning his first French Open championship, Djokovic achieved a career Grand Slam.

Novak DjokovicNovak Djokovic after winning the 2018 U.S. Open.
Djokovic reached the finals of the 2016 U.S. Open but lost a four-set match to Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka. He failed to advance past the quarterfinals in the first three Grand Slam tournaments of 2017, and in July he announced that he would not play the remainder of the year in order to treat an elbow injury that had been bothering him for the previous 18 months. He returned to play in January 2018. Djokovic slowly improved throughout the year, and in July he won his fourth career Wimbledon title. Two months later he captured his third U.S. Open singles championship. In January 2019 Djokovic won his seventh career Australian Open singles title, the most in the history of that tournament. He then defended his Wimbledon title in epic fashion, defeating Federer in a 4-hour 57-minute final (the longest singles final in tournament history) that was decided in an unprecedented tiebreaker after the fifth set ended in a 12–12 tie.
In 2020 Djokovic continued to dominate at the Australian Open, winning his 17th Grand Slam title. Although Wimbledon was canceled that year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the French Open was held in the fall. He reached the finals there but lost to Nadal. Djokovic claimed yet another title when he won the Australian Open in 2021. In June of that year he won his second French Open singles championship. Djokovic’s hot streak continued when he won another Wimbledon title in July 2021, which gave him 20 total Grand Slam men’s singles championships, tying the all-time record that was shared by Federer and Nadal. Later that year he entered the U.S. Open, hoping to become the third male player to win all four Grand Slam events in one calendar year. Although he reached the finals, Djokovic was defeated in straight sets by Daniil Medvedev of Russia.

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Novak Djokovic at the 2023 U.S. OpenNovak Djokovic competing in the men's final at the 2023 U.S. Open; he defeated Daniil Medvedev to claim his 24th Grand Slam title.(more)
Djokovic sought to make history at the 2022 Australian Open by winning his 21st Grand Slam men’s singles title. However, he became embroiled in a dispute involving Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for those entering the country. The unvaccinated Djokovic was initially granted an exemption, but it came under scrutiny amid a public uproar. His visa was ultimately canceled, and Djokovic was deported before the tournament began. Nadal ended up winning the men’s event to surpass Djokovic and Federer for most Grand Slam titles. Later in 2022 Djokovic competed at the French Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Nadal, who went on to win the tournament. In July Djokovic turned around his disappointing season by winning Wimbledon to claim his 21st Grand Slam championship. Shortly thereafter he was forced to withdraw from the U.S. Open because the country’s visa requirements included full vaccination.
In 2023, however, Djokovic returned to Australia, which had relaxed its COVID-19 rules. At that year’s Australian Open, he captured his 10th title and again tied Nadal for most Grand Slam men’s singles championships. Several months later Djokovic claimed sole possession of the record after winning the French Open. He advanced to the finals at Wimbledon in 2023 but lost a five-set thriller to Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic rebounded at the U.S. Open, winning his 24th Grand Slam title. A favorite entering the 2024 Australian Open, he lost in the semifinals, ending his 33-match win streak at the tournament.
Adam Augustyn
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Australian Open, one of the world’s major tennis championships (the first of the four annual Grand Slam events), held at the National Tennis Centre at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia.
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Started by the Lawn Tennis Association of Australasia (later, of Australia), the first tournament for men was held in 1905 and the first for women in 1922. The site rotated between Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide until 1988, when the tournament was permanently settled at the hard courts of Flinders Park, which was renamed Melbourne Park in 1996. (The switch to hard courts in 1988 left Wimbledon the sole major grass-court tournament in professional tennis.) Although Australians often dominated the field of tennis internationally, the Australian tournament for many years suffered from the reluctance of overseas players to travel the long distance to compete, a situation largely remedied with the advent of jet travel. The tournament is played in January.
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Australian Open singles champions
A list of Australian Open singles champions is provided in the table.
Australian Open Tennis Championships—singlesyearmenwomen*No tournament was held in 1986, as the date of the event was changed from December to January.1905Rodney Heath (Austl.)1906Anthony Wilding (N.Z.)1907Horace Rice (Austl.)1908Fred Alexander (U.S.)1909Anthony Wilding (N.Z.)1910Rodney Heath (Austl.)1911Norman Brookes (Austl.)1912James Cecil Parke (U.K.)1913Ernie Parker (Austl.)1914Arthur O'Hara Wood (Austl.)1915Gordon Lowe (U.K.)1916–18not held1919Algernon Kingscote (U.K.)1920Pat O'Hara Wood (Austl.)1921Rhys Gemmell (Austl.)1922James Anderson (Austl.)Margaret Molesworth (Austl.)1923Pat O'Hara Wood (Austl.)Margaret Molesworth (Austl.)1924James Anderson (Austl.)Sylvia Lance (Austl.)1925James Anderson (Austl.)Daphne Akhurst (Austl.)1926John Hawkes (Austl.)Daphne Akhurst (Austl.)1927Gerald Patterson (Austl.)Esna Boyd (Austl.)1928Jean Borotra (France)Daphne Akhurst (Austl.)1929John Colin Gregory (U.K.)Daphne Akhurst (Austl.)1930Edgar Moon (Austl.)Daphne Akhurst (Austl.)1931Jack Crawford (Austl.)Coral Buttsworth (Austl.)1932Jack Crawford (Austl.)Coral Buttsworth (Austl.)1933Jack Crawford (Austl.)Joan Hartigan (Austl.)1934Fred Perry (U.K.)Joan Hartigan (Austl.)1935Jack Crawford (Austl.)Dorothy Round (U.K.)1936Adrian Quist (Austl.)Joan Hartigan (Austl.)1937Vivian McGrath (Austl.)Nancye Wynne (Austl.)1938Don Budge (U.S.)Dorothy Bundy (U.S.)1939John Bromwich (Austl.)Emily Westacott (Austl.)1940Adrian Quist (Austl.)Nancye Wynne (Austl.)1941–45not held1946John Bromwich (Austl.)Nancye Wynne Bolton (Austl.)1947Dinny Pails (Austl.)Nancye Bolton (Austl.)1948Adrian Quist (Austl.)Nancye Bolton (Austl.)1949Frank Sedgman (Austl.)Doris Hart (U.S.)1950Frank Sedgman (Austl.)Louise Brough (U.S.)1951Dick Savitt (U.S.)Nancye Bolton (Austl.)1952Ken McGregor (Austl.)Thelma Long (Austl.)1953Ken Rosewall (Austl.)Maureen Connolly (U.S.)1954Mervyn Rose (Austl.)Thelma Long (Austl.)1955Ken Rosewall (Austl.)Beryl Penrose (Austl.)1956Lew Hoad (Austl.)Mary Carter (Austl.)1957Ashley Cooper (Austl.)Shirley Fry (U.S.)1958Ashley Cooper (Austl.)Angela Mortimer (U.K.)1959Alex Olmedo (Peru)Mary Carter Reitano (Austl.)1960Rod Laver (Austl.)Margaret Smith (Austl.)1961Roy Emerson (Austl.)Margaret Smith (Austl.)1962Roy Laver (Austl.)Margaret Smith (Austl.)1963Roy Emerson (Austl.)Margaret Smith (Austl.)1964Roy Emerson (Austl.)Margaret Smith (Austl.)1965Roy Emerson (Austl.)Margaret Smith (Austl.)1966Roy Emerson (Austl.)Margaret Smith (Austl.)1967Roy Emerson (Austl.)Nancy Richey (U.S.)1968William Bowrey (Austl.)Billie Jean King (U.S.)1969Rod Laver (Austl.)Margaret Smith Court (Austl.)1970Arthur Ashe (U.S.)Margaret Smith Court (Austl.)1971Ken Rosewall (Austl.)Margaret Smith Court (Austl.)1972Ken Rosewall (Austl.)Virginia Wade (U.K.)1973John Newcombe (Austl.)Margaret Smith Court (Austl.)1974Jimmy Connors (U.S.)Evonne Goolagong (Austl.)1975John Newcombe (Austl.)Evonne Goolagong (Austl.)1976Mark Edmondson (Austl.)Evonne Goolagong Cawley (Austl.)1977 (Jan.)Roscoe Tanner (U.S.)Kerry Reid (Austl.)1977 (Dec.)Vitas Gerulaitis (U.S.)Evonne Goolagong Cawley (Austl.)1978Guillermo Vilas (Arg.)Chris O'Neill (Austl.)1979Guillermo Vilas (Arg.)Barbara Jordan (U.S.)1980Brian Teacher (U.S.)Hana Mandlikova (Czech.)1981Johan Kriek (S.Af.)Martina Navratilova (U.S.)1982Johan Kriek (S.Af.)Chris Evert Lloyd (U.S.)1983Mats Wilander (Swed.)Martina Navratilova (U.S.)1984Mats Wilander (Swed.)Chris Evert Lloyd (U.S.)1985Stefan Edberg (Swed.)Martina Navratilova (U.S.)1986not held*1987Stefan Edberg (Swed.)Hana Mandlikova (Czech.)1988Mats Wilander (Swed.)Steffi Graf (W.Ger.)1989Ivan Lendl (Czech.)Stef Graf (W.Ger.)1990Ivan Lendl (Czech.)Steffi Graf (W.Ger.)1991Boris Becker (Ger.)Monica Seles (Yugos.)1992Jim Courier (U.S.)Monica Seles (Yugos.)1993Jim Courier (U.S.)Monica Seles (Yugos.)1994Pete Sampras (U.S.)Steffi Graf (Ger.)1995Andre Agassi (U.S.)Mary Pierce (France)1996Boris Becker (Ger.)Monica Seles (U.S.)1997Pete Sampras (U.S.)Martina Hingis (Switz.)1998Petr Korda (Cz.Rep.)Martina Hingis (Switz.)1999Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia)Martina Hingis (Switz.)2000Andre Agassi (U.S.)Lindsay Davenport (U.S.)2001Andre Agassi (U.S.)Jennifer Capriati (U.S.)2002Thomas Johansson (Swed.)Jennifer Capriati (U.S.)2003Andre Agassi (U.S.)Serena Williams (U.S.)2004Roger Federer (Switz.)Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belg.)2005Marat Safin (Russia)Serena Williams (U.S.)2006Roger Federer (Switz.)Amelie Mauresmo (France)2007Roger Federer (Switz.)Serena Williams (U.S.)2008Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Maria Sharapova (Russia)2009Rafael Nadal (Spain)Serena Williams (U.S.)2010Roger Federer (Switz.)Serena Williams (U.S.)2011Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Kim Clijsters (Belg.)2012Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Victoria Azarenka (Bela.)2013Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Victoria Azarenka (Bela.)2014Stanislas Wawrinka (Switz.)Li Na (China)2015Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Serena Williams (U.S.)2016Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Angelique Kerber (Ger.)2017Roger Federer (Switz.)Serena Williams (U.S.)2018Roger Federer (Switz.)Caroline Wozniacki (Den.)2019Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Naomi Osaka (Japan)2020Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Sofia Kenin (U.S.)2021Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Naomi Osaka (Japan)2022Rafael Nadal (Spain)Ashleigh Barty (Austl.)2023Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Aryna Sabalenka (Bela.)2024Jannik Sinner (Italy)Aryna Sabalenka (Bela.)
Australian Open doubles champions
A list of Australian Open doubles champions is provided in the table.
Australian Open Tennis Championships—doublesyearmenwomen*Finals rained out.**No tournament was held in 1986, as the date of the event was changed from December to January.1905Tom Tachell, Randolph Lycett1906Tony Wilding, Rodney Heath1907H.A. Parker, Bill Gregg1908Fred Alexander, Alfred Dunlop1909Ernie F. Parker, J.P. Keane1910Horace Rice, Ashley Campbell1911Rodney Heath, Randolph Lycett1912James Parke, Charles Dixon1913Ernie F. Parker, A. Hedeman1914Ashley Campbell, Gerald Patterson1915Horace Rice, C.V. Todd1916–18not held1919Pat O'Hara Wood, R.V. Thomas1920Pat O'Hara Wood, R.V. Thomas1921R. Gemmell, S. Eaton1922Gerald Patterson, John HawkesEsna Boyd, Marjorie Mountain1923Pat O'Hara Wood, Bert St. JohnEsna Boyd, Sylvia Lance1924Norman Brookes, James AndersonDaphne Akhurst, Sylvia Lance1925Gerald Patterson, Pat O'Hara WoodDaphne Akhurst, Sylvia Lance Harper1926Gerald Patterson, John HawkesMeryl O'Hara Wood, Esna Boyd1927Gerald Patterson, John HawkesMeryl O'Hara Wood, Louie Bickerton1928Jean Borotra, Jacques BrugnonDaphne Akhurst, Esna Boyd1929Jack Crawford, Harry HopmanDaphne Akhurst, Louie Bickerton1930Jack Crawford, Harry HopmanMall Molesworth, Emily Hood1931Charles Donohoe, Ray DunlopDaphne Akhurst Cozens, Louie Bickerton1932Jack Crawford, Gar MoonCoral Buttsworth, Marjorie Crawford1933Ellsworth Vines, Keith GledhillMall Molesworth, Emily Westacott1934Fred Perry, Patrick HughesMall Molesworth, Emily Westacott1935Jack Crawford, Vivian McGrathEvelyn Dearman, Nancy Lyle1936Adrian Quist, Don TurnbullThelma Coyne, Nancye Wynne1937Adrian Quist, Don TurnbullThelma Coyne, Nancye Wynne1938Adrian Quist, John BromwichThelma Coyne, Nancye Wynne1939Adrian Quist, John BromwichThelma Coyne, Nancye Wynne1940Adrian Quist, John BromwichThelma Coyne, Nancye Wynne1941–45not held1946Adrian Quist, John BromwichJoyce Fitch, Mary Bevis1947Adrian Quist, John BromwichThelma Long, Nancye Wynne Bolton1948Adrian Quist, John BromwichThelma Long, Nancye Bolton1949Adrian Quist, John BromwichThelma Long, Nancye Bolton1950Adrian Quist, John BromwichLouise Brough, Doris Hart1951Frank Sedgman, Ken McGregorThelma Long, Nancye Bolton1952Frank Sedgman, Ken McGregorThelma Long, Nancye Bolton1953Lew Hoad, Ken RosewallMo Connolly, Julie Sampson1954Rex Hartwig, Mervyn RoseMary Bevis Hawton, Beryl Penrose1955Vic Seixas, Tony TrabertMary Hawton, Beryl Penrose1956Lew Hoad, Ken RosewallMary Hawton, Thelma Long1957Lew Hoad, Neale FraserAlthea Gibson, Shirley Fry1958Ashley Cooper, Neale FraserMary Hawton, Thelma Long1959Rod Laver, Bob MarkRenee Schuurman, Sandra Reynolds1960Rod Laver, Bob MarkMario Bueno, Christine Truman1961Rod Laver, Bob MarkMary Reitano, Margaret Smith1962Roy Emerson, Neale FraserMargaret Smith, Robyn Ebbern1963Bob Hewitt, Fred StolleMargaret Smith, Robyn Ebbern1964Bob Hewitt, Fred StolleJudy Tegart, Lesley Turner1965John Newcombe, Tony RocheMargaret Smith, Lesley Turner1966Roy Emerson, Fred StolleCarole Graebner, Nancy Richey1967John Newcombe, Tony RocheJudy Tegart, Lesley Turner1968Dick Crealy, Allan StoneKaren Krantzcke, Kerry Melville1969Roy Emerson, Rod LaverMargaret Smith Court, Judy Tegart1970Bob Lutz, Stan SmithMargaret Court, Judy Tegart Dalton1971John Newcombe, Tony RocheMargaret Court, Evonne Goolagong1972Owen Davidson, Ken RosewallKerry Harris, Helen Gourlay1973Mal Anderson, John NewcombeMargaret Court, Virginia Wade1974Ross Case, Geoff MastersEvonne Goolagong, Peggy Michel1975John Alexander, Phil DentEvonne Goolagong, Peggy Michel1976John Newcombe, Tony RocheEvonne Goolagong Cawley, Helen Gourlay1977 (Jan.)Arthur Ashe, Tony RocheDianne Fromholtz, Helen Gourlay1977 (Dec.)Allan Stone, Ray RuffelsEvonne Goolagong Cawley, Helen Gourlay*Mona Guerrant, Kerry Reid*1978Wojtek Fibak, Kim WarwickRenata Tomanova, Betsy Nagelsen1979Peter McNamara, Paul McNameeJudy Chaloner, Diane Evers1980Kim Warwick, Mark EdmondsonMartina Navratilova, Betsy Nagelsen1981Kim Warwick, Mark EdmondsonKathy Jordan, Anne Smith1982John Alexander, John FitzgeraldMartina Navratilova, Pam Shriver1983Mark Edmondson, Paul McNameeMartina Navratilova, Pam Shriver1984Mark Edmondson, Sherwood StewartMartina Navratilova, Pam Shriver1985Paul Annacone, Christo van RensburgMartina Navratilova, Pam Shriver1986not held**1987Stefan Edberg, Anders JarrydMartina Navratilova, Pam Shriver1988Rick Leach, Jim PughMartina Navratilova, Pam Shriver1989Rick Leach, Jim PughMartin Navratilova, PamShriver1990Pieter Aldrich, Danie VisserJana Novotna, Helena Sukova1991Scott Davis, David PatePatty Fendick, Mary Joe Fernandez1992Todd Woodbridge, Mark WoodfordeArantxa Sánchez Vicario, Helena Sukova1993Danie Visser, Laurie WarderGigi Fernandez, Natalia Zvereva1994Paul Haarhuis, Jacco EltinghGigi Fernandez, Natalia Zvereva1995Jared Palmer, Richey RenebergArantxa Sánchez Vicario, Jana Novotna1996Stefan Edberg, Petr KordaArantxa Sánchez Vicario, Chanda Rubin1997Todd Woodbridge, Mark WoodfordeMartina Hingis, Natalia Zvereva1998Jonas Björkman, Jacco EltinghMartina Hingis, Mirjana Lucic1999Jona Björkman, Peter RafterMartina Hingis, Anna Kournikova2000Ellis Ferreira, Rick LeachLisa Raymond, Rennae Stubbs2001Jonas Björkman, Todd WoodbridgeSerena Williams, Venus Williams2002Mark Knowles, Daniel NestorMartina Hingis, Anna Kournikova2003Michael Llodra, Fabrice SantoroSerena Williams, Venus Williams2004Michael Llodra, Fabrice SantoroVirginia Ruano Pascual, Paola Suárez2005Wayne Black, Kevin UllyettSvetlana Kuznetsova, Alicia Molik2006Bob Bryan, Mike BryanYan Zi, Zheng Jie2007Bob Bryan, Mike BryanCara Black, Liezel Huber2008Jonathon Erlich, Andy RamAlona Bondarenko, Kateryna Bondarenko2009Bob Bryan, Mike BryanSerena Williams, Venus Williams2010Bob Bryan, Mike BryanSerena Williams, Venus Williams2011Bob Bryan, Mike BryanGisela Dulko, Flavia Pennetta2012Leander Paes, Radeck StepanekSvetlana Kuznetsova, Vera Zvonareva2013Bob Bryan, Mike BryanSara Errani, Roberta Vinci2014Lukasv Kubot, Robert LindstedtSara Errani, Roberta Vinci2015Simone Bolelli, Fabio FogniniBethanie Mattek-Sands, Lucie Safarova2016Jamie Murray, Bruno SoaresMartina Hingis, Sania Mirza2017John Peers, Henri KontinenBethanie Mattek-Sands, Lucie Safarova2018Oliver Marach, Mate PavicTimea Babos, Kristina Mladenovic2019Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Nicolas MahutSamantha Stosur, Zhang Shuai2020Rajeev Ram, Joe SalisburyTimea Babos, Kristina Mladenovic2021Ivan Dodig, Filip PolasekElise Mertens, Aryna Sabalenka2022Thanasi Kokkinakis, Nick KyrgiosBarbora Krejcikova, Katerina Siniakova2023Rinky Hijikata, Jason KublerBarbora Krejcikova, Katerina Siniakova2024Rohan Bopanna, Matthew EbdenHsieh Su-Wei, Elise Mertens
This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.