Djokovic and the best advice he received in his career
The Serbian offered a deep reflection that alludes to his early years on the circuit, during which he made imitations that did not sit well with several colleagues. What did he learn from that?
Novak Djokovic is a genuine person. True to his principles, even though they have caused him issues on a sports level. Finding that authenticity is not an easy task, especially when during your early years you face a bit of a wave of hatred and even disapproving looks from some of your peers. The Serbian pieced together the puzzle along the way, challenged the duo formed by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, and ultimately won the affection of many fans: none of this would have been possible had he not listened to the best advice he ever received.
In the Kevin Hart show for Netflix, Nole decided to open up and go into detail about some events that took place in the early years of his career. The Serbian talked about the imitations of players he performed at Grand Slam tournaments: they were part of his personality, reflecting a vitality and joy that had been taken from him in his childhood, but they clashed head-on with the 'etiquette' and 'glamour' that tennis has always upheld. Djokovic admitted to stopping these imitations to try to fit in better in the locker room and to gain the public's sympathy... and then, something changed in him.
Djokovic and the best advice he received in his career
What’s the key? Staying true to oneself: it will always yield results, no matter how difficult the start is. "The best advice I’ve ever received is to always be true to yourself, to be true to your most authentic self. I was. I've always loved comedy monologues: I love that theatricality, the live aspect in front of people, the interaction and energy you receive. I used to do, much more than I do now, impersonations, impersonations of the other legends.
Djokovic on "Cold as Balls":
"I used to do a lot more impersonations than I do now. My rivals and my peers didn't like that at all. I stopped doing that because I wanted to fit in. I wanted people to like me. Then I realized: "F*ck it", I need to be who I am."
Be yourself pic.twitter.com/S8vO7vFSij— Corvath Draemir (@Archaicmind3000) September 20, 2026
Many people liked them, but my rivals and peers did not find them amusing. The press didn’t like them either. I stopped doing them... because in a way I wanted to fit in. I wanted to become someone I am not. I wanted people to like what I did. Then, I realized. "You know what? Screw it". Sorry for the language (laughs), I needed to be who I truly was. This is one of the best pieces of advice I received from the people who supported me. In such an individual sport like tennis, if you really want to stand out, you will do so with some of your skills, but also with your personality. You will have a long and successful career if you have that connection with people, and you will only have that connection if they see you as an authentic person, if they see you just as you are."
This is not the first time the Serbian has talked about that era, but rarely has he referenced so frankly the situation he faced: gripped by press articles and intimidated by the opinions of legends, Novak would soon remove the blindfold, break the chains that tied him to what was "politically correct" and unleash a confident beast that added an essential element to the best era in the history of this sport. Who knows how the story would have been if Djokovic had not heeded that advice.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic y el mejor consejo que recibió en su carrera