In 2024, Novak Djokovic had just one priority: Olympic Gold. He was desperate in his quest and treaded the path he would normally avoid, but all is fair in love, war, and the quest for Olympics Gold. After the dream became a reality on the clay court of Paris, he gestured to the flag on his shirt, kissing it, and revering it as Serbia’s national song would echo in the Olympics. And the nation equally loved and honored Djokovic’s efforts. He smiled, they cried, he jumped on the balcony, they danced on the streets, he showed his nation the elusive gold and they shouted “Nole, Nole, Nole…” How can one give up on his nation despite everything and everyone that stood by him?
It’s not a new thing for players to change their nationality to avail themselves of better opportunities. For Serbia, it had already happened when Monica Seles became an American citizen. Why? Due to constant strife in the nations. Moreover, Serbia came into proper existence only in 2006. Hence, stability was an elusive term for a very long time. However, this all didn’t factor into Djokovic and his family’s calculation, as they chose to take hefty loans on high interest instead of changing their nationality.
The book, Searching for Novak: Unveiling the Man Behind the Enigma by Mark Hodgkinson, sheds some light on Djokovic’s deep patriotism, love for Serbia, and his journey. One thing in particular: Why didn’t Djokovic choose to be a Briton or other nations that “would have been interested in tempting Djokovic to play for their flag.”
Jelena Jankovic reasons, “It was important for Novak to show that no one could buy him.” It might not have been an easy decision for anyone. Moving to a high-income and developed nation certainly has its perks over a middle-income nation: better facilities, better sponsorships, and whatnot. However, those perks fell miserably short in front of Djokovic. How?
Novak was born in Serbia. He’s Serbian. He feels Serbian and he should stay Serbian.” How could he when this thought process had been ingrained in every cell of his body? After winning the Olympics, he didn’t say, “I’m an Olympic champion.” Rather, he said, “While I may be the one holding this medal, I want every Serbian to know that it belongs to all of us.” Hodgkinson rightly said, “Representing your nation gives you so much energy, so much belief, as a tennis player and Novak wouldn’t have that with Britain.’
On a contrasting note, he could never change his nationality even when there were non-serious talks about it. According to another Serbian tennis player, Bogdan Obradovic, “This is how it goes sometimes, that athletes from small countries are signing contracts with big countries.” But not for Djokovic, as while the talks for playing for Britain were doing rounds, the 12-year-old Djokovic was having “dreams of winning the Davis Cup for Serbia.”
Djokovic did not only fulfill his Olympic Gold’s dream but also quenched Serbia’s thirst for the elusive title
Djoker could become the president of Serbia, but he chose to pick his racquet and become a hope for the Balkan nation. Serbia didn’t have a good infrastructure. However, the Novak Foundation made sure that something better could be done for the upcoming generation. He opened schools around the nation and donated to various causes to do his bit. As a result, people look at him with hope as they don’t hesitate to write to their national pride about help. In his winning moment, Djokovic penned down a heartfelt note for his nation.
He said, “I could never give up on the dream of winning this gold medal, just as the people of Serbia have never given up on me. Together, we believed in the impossible. While I may be the one holding this medal, I want every Serbian to know that it belongs to all of us. Representing our nation is the greatest honor in the world. This medal, these moments, this life—none of it would have been possible without your unwavering support. This is because of you. This is for you.”
No one can buy a man who is so strong in his conviction. No amount of green cheques could compel him to walk away from his war-torn home to a well-established kingdom. Moreover, Djokovic took it upon himself to be there for his country as he makes Serbian a proud nation and his kingdom.
