“People just turning their heads”: Novak Djokovic reveals painful truth about facing hate for being Serbian as a teenager

Novak Djokovic recently shared an emotional story about the discrimination he faced as a Serbian teenager and how it helped him become mentally stronger. The 24-time Grand Slam champion opened up during the “JOY Forum” in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he is playing at the Six Kings Slam exhibition event.

Djokovic joined host Max Kellerman, UFC CEO Dana White, and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal in a panel discussion, speaking honestly about his struggles and what he learned from them.

Novak Djokovic shares how being Serbian made things harder

During the talk, Novak Djokovic spoke about how, as a teenager traveling with a Serbian passport, he was often treated unfairly. He said many people looked down on him just because he came from Serbia. “So here I am as a teenager with my Serbian passport, and most of the people just turning their heads. You know, it’s like, okay, you come from Serbia, not great, so you had to fight through that, endure that, but I’m not whining about it,” Djokovic said at the forum.

The 38-year-old said he is thankful for those experiences because they made him mentally stronger.

“Grateful because I feel like that has really thickened my skin and still made me even proud of where I come from and what I represent because that’s something that sticks,” he added. Novak Djokovic shared that facing rejection and judgment early in life taught him to stay calm, focused, and proud of his identity, even when people doubted him.Novak Djokovic, who grew up in a war-torn country, said that these experiences helped him develop a fighting spirit that he still carries today.

Despite facing discrimination, he used the negativity as motivation to prove himself on the world stage.Also Read: Chris Evert Vs Martina Navratilova Net Worth In 2025: Who Is Richer, Career, Endorsements And More

Novak Djokovic opens

Novak Djokovic opens up about growing up in war-torn Serbia

Novak Djokovic also spoke about his childhood in Belgrade during the 1990s NATO bombings. He said the fear he felt every day shaped his strength and mental focus. “It’s the fear of the unknown. Not knowing if the next bomb is going to hit your head… And so it was every day, the alarms, the sirens that woke us up every night when the planes were approaching,” Djokovic said in his earlier interview with La Nacion.

He said his family grew stronger by staying together during those dark times. Novak Djokovic also shared that seeing news of wars today makes him emotional because it brings back painful memories. “It’s a horror. The worst thing anyone can experience. It’s the fear of the unknown. I saw dead people and now that I see wars in other parts of the world, I don’t understand. I want to make it very clear, I don’t think anyone should suffer through war to develop mental strength, there are other ways to do it,” he said.Novak Djokovic’s story shows how he turned hardship into motivation. Despite the pain, he built one of the greatest careers in tennis history, proving that strength often grows from struggle.