Novak Djokovic at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2023.
PHOTO BY JONATHAN YBERA/EXPAT MEDIA
Novak Djokovic revealed in a recent talk in Dubai that during his childhood days, he used to wait in line for hours just to get a piece of bread to eat.
The tennis ace, who is now worth an estimated $230 million, recalled his experiences as a child in conflict-torn Serbia.
“Waiting in line for several hours from 6am to have a piece of bread that we would all share. It was hard but at the same time I look back and reflect on that as a very important stage in my life,” Djokovic shared at the Dubai Future District Fund on Thursday (March 23).
He said that the hard experience shaped him. “It has had a great influence on my character,” he said.
Djokovic was only 11 years old when he and his family went through war in Yugoslavia and the bombing of Belgrade. At one point, he even hid in his grandfather’s apartment as the bombings raged.
Despite the trauma, Djokovic said he was able to channel his feelings to push him to be successful in life.
“I was a young boy who dared to dream big and believe that those dreams would come true,” he added. “Obviously coming from a war-torn country in the 90s, it was not easy and there was a lot of adversity in society and challenges that my family had to face to support and fund the career of a tennis player.”
Djokovic began playing when he was four years old after his parents gave him a mini-racquet and soft foam ball. He was sent to tennis camp when he was six years old. His two younger brothers also play tennis. ICA/Expat Media
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page
Share
© 2015 All Rights Reserved. ExpatMedia
