Novak Djokovic: ON One of the Greatest Comebacks in History

[Deleted member 77403]

@Hitman, just so that you know that you don't have to do anything regarding that "competition".

I will continue (for my own purposes) as intended, as I have already made arrangements and set some goals.

Thanks for your agreement to help.

No problems.

 

[maratha_warrior]

So many losers in Comment Section...

 

[smash hit]

I believe we have heard this narrative before. In an article in Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/2016/03/25/novak-djokovic-father-exclusive-interview-436106.html Djokovic's father explains how he made his son into a Multiple Grand Slam Champion. His so called poverty , if indeed he ever suffered from poverty, was not because he was born into a poor family, but rather because all their resources were used to give Djokovic the opportunity to develop. Prior to going to the Niki Pilic academy in September 1999, his father had taken Djokovic to academies in the United States, Italy and Germany. His father travelled with him and according to him they were never apart for ten years, all of this drained their finances.

Jelena Gencic, Novak’s first coach, told Srdjan that the only player she had seen with as much talent at that age—Novak was then 7—was Monica Seles, who won nine Grand Slam titles on the women’s tour. Srdjan acted on Gencic’s assessment and took his son to train at academies in the United States, Italy and Germany. “In 10 years, I was never apart from him,” he says. “We were always together. Everywhere we went, everybody else had a team—physios and coaches. Everybody else was taken care of, except us.”The travel and training was a financial drain on the family, and Srdjan took out high-interest loans to help pay for his son’s tennis education.

 

[DRII]

Saying that he had a privileged background is mockery. Serbia was under UN sanctions from 1992 to 2000 and was bombed in 1999. Sanctions had major economical effects (not to mention wars). Playing tennis under such conditions was heroism not in terms of players alone but coaches etc.. For Djokovic family having food on a plate was an issue not anything else. What you said about them owning restaurants is absolute rubbish. It is like saying that a guy selling kebabs in a war zone is Donald Trump. In 2003, Srdjan Djokovic offered 10% of Novak's whole (future) career earning for 50K USD. Nobody volunteered.

Stop bringing up bombings in Serbia in order to somehow elevate djokovic and make his playing tennis out to be some kind of act heroism! It's trite and ridiculous!
And his family was one of relative privilege. They were not poverty stricken!

 

[Nadal_Django]

Now compare this emotional story of this young poor kid, with the story of Richie Rich everything on a silver plate, nobleman Federer.

 

[ABCD]

Stop bringing up bombings in Serbia in order to somehow elevate djokovic and make his playing tennis out to be some kind of act heroism! It's trite and ridiculous!
And his family was one of relative privilege. They were not poverty stricken!

1) They had enough to eat.
2) Do you believe that war and being bombed are insignificant events.

 

[BGod]

Yeah I'll always give more credit to someone who grew up with less.

It's quite silly to ignore when someone has all the advantages especially in a sport like tennis. Nadal was the richest of the Big 5 growing up if I'm not mistaken with Federer after. I know Murray got the huge bump from British Association and Wawrinka's parents were a farmer and teacher so middle-class.

The Agassi vs. Sampras rivalry was great in terms of classes because Pete was mid and not flashy while Agassi grew up poor but got into the money as a prodigy. Nice contrast.

Of the Top 100 it's 80%+ rich brats which gives you the expected results.

Back in the day I believe Connors, Borg and Lendl were all modest backgrounds.

 

[ScottleeSV]

I think he's a good man, for the record.

'One of the greatest comebacks in history' though? He had an injury and came back and did what he was doing before the injury. That's his job and he's good at it. I wouldn't call it a miracle of modern sport.

 

[smash hit]

Yeah I'll always give more credit to someone who grew up with less

Djokovic wasn't born into an impoverished family. His father chose to use the family finances to pay for coaching at academies in several countries

Of the Top 100 it's 80%+ rich brats which gives you the expected results.

The rich brats as you like to call them had to dedicate themselves to the sport and work hard to achieve their results. Money didn't buy those results. Yes Nadal came from a rich family. He could have gone to mainland Spain and trained, receiving funding for this. His family thought it was more important for a child to live at home. Each family made their own choices.

 

[ABCD]

Djokovic wasn't born into an impoverished family. His father chose to use the family finances to pay for coaching at academies in several countries

What is your idea about Djokovic's Family finances in nineties? How much do you think that they were worth? What is your estimated price of a property in a war zone? Maybe you are writing from a place where you are rich if you can eat every day?

 

[DRII]

1) They had enough to eat.
2) Do you believe that war and being bombed are insignificant events.

they had more than enough to eat! they were far from beggars.

war, bombing, and atrocities like genocide for that matter; are not insignificant events. However, to somehow conflate that with playing a sport as inexorably intertwined and thus elevating Djokovic's achievements on the same level of importance is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[DRII]

What is your idea about Djokovic's Family finances in nineties? How much do you think that they were worth? What is your estimated price of a property in a war zone? Maybe you are writing from a place where you are rich if you can eat every day?

you think if they couldn't eat everyday they would be spending money on a sporting endeavor?!?

Please!

 

[BeatlesFan]

Pete was mid and not flashy while Agassi grew up poor

Are you joking? Mike Agassi was the head table captain at the Tropicana from 1961 on, nine years before Andre was born. Mike has said many times in the 60's, he was bringing in $300-$500 a night just in tips (all tax free then). I have seen the home Andre grew up in and it's in an extremely affluent neighborhood. Agassi was NEVER remotely "poor." Mike's father, David, was a multi millionaire in Tehran before Mike even came to the States.

Agassi grew up wealthy and privileged, as did Pete in the Palos Verdes estates.

 

[ABCD]

war, bombing, and atrocities like genocide for that matter; are not insignificant events. However, to somehow conflate that with playing a sport as inexorably intertwined and thus elevating Djokovic's achievements on the same level of importance is absolutely ridiculous.

Are you so unable to put yourself in someone else shoes to understand? Have you ever been in a war? Have you ever been in a combat? Have you ever been bombed? Have you ever tried to live normally in such extraordinary circumstances? Have you ever tried to protect your children against forces that are so much stronger than you? What you are saying show that you don't have a clue. Why you have urge to comment something that you just don't know?

 

[Tennis_Hands]

Are you joking? Mike Agassi was the head table captain at the Tropicana from 1961 on, nine years before Andre was born. Mike has said many times in the 60's, he was bringing in $300-$500 a night just in tips (all tax free then). I have seen the home Andre grew up in and it's in an extremely affluent neighborhood. Agassi was NEVER remotely "poor." Mike's father, David, was a multi millionaire in Tehran before Mike even came to the States.

Agassi grew up wealthy and privileged, as did Pete in the Palos Verdes estates.

That almost makes Nole's story real.

He only grew up in a ski resort, was training skiing (his father was ski instructor as far as I know, on top of being restauranteur) and tennis one of which he was forced to abandon in order to pursue pro career, and was let in the hands of the person who also trained Seles. Clearly a sign of "almost no support".

 

[smash hit]

What is your idea about Djokovic's Family finances in nineties? How much do you think that they were worth? What is your estimated price of a property in a war zone? Maybe you are writing from a place where you are rich if you can eat every day?

They had sufficient money for Djokovic and his father to travel to Italy, Germany and the USA. They had sufficient money to pay for coaching in academies in those countries and they had sufficient money to pay for food and accommodation for themselves during those trips. Djokovic's father said they did that for ten years and that had a significant effect on their finances. When they decided to send Djokovic to the Niki Pilic Academy Djokovic's father took out loans to cover the cost, their decision. If I feel sympathy for anyone in this scenario then it's the two brothers who were told that they didn't matter, everything had to be geared towards Novak.

 

[ABCD]

That almost makes Nole's story real.

He only grew up in a ski resort, was training skiing (his father was ski instructor as far as I know, on top of being restauranteur) and tennis one of which he was forced to abandon in order to pursue pro career, and was let in the hands of the person who also trained Seles. Clearly a sign of "almost no support".

You are Russian and relatively old. Did your parents told you how it was during the war? And it was not just Seles, it was also Ivanisevic. It is like me telling you "His father was a ski instructor in Stalingrad in 1943".

 

[ABCD]

They had sufficient money for Djokovic and his father to travel to Italy, Germany and the USA. They had sufficient money to pay for coaching in academies in those countries and they had sufficient money to pay for food and accommodation for themselves during those trips. Djokovic's father said they did that for ten years and that had a significant effect on their finances. When they decided to send Djokovic to the Niki Pilic Academy Djokovic's father took out loans to cover the cost, their decision. If I feel sympathy for anyone in this scenario then it's the two brothers who were told that they didn't matter, everything had to be geared towards Novak.

You just don't have a clue.

 

[smash hit]

Also it's not about poverty, but most people love a story of rags to riches.

.

Could that be his reason for telling the story yet again. Does he think it will give him the much craved for love. Why else would he be going over old ground.

 

[Tennis_Hands]

You are Russian and relatively old. Did your parents told you how it was during the war?

Hey, Prof, nice theory.

The only sure thing is that from your reaction towards Nole's situation it is abundantly clear that you have no idea what people in war zones go through.

Read carefully my post that you quote once again, then watch the video of the 7 years old Nole which was supposedly made in the years of wars as you yourself claimed (btw, you are also wrong about the final years when Nole was there, as he moved to Germany at latest in the middle of 1999, whereas you included also 2000 as an year of suffering for him), then note that he himself said that he never lost a relative in the bombings, that he actually was travelling with his father abroad, when the citizens of the then Yugoslavia required a visa which was granted mostly to the privileged, that he and his family had a constant contact and he was relying on the connections of a former high-profile tennis player with his own tennis academy etc etc, and try to understand what I am saying.

 

[vladap]

he actually did come from a pretty privileged background. his parents owned 3 restaurants and a ski resort or something like that. his family and 'circle' were the upper crust of Serbia, and the NATO bombing that is always brought up did not happen in a vacuum.

but, yes regardless, its incredible that he came to be one of the all time tennis greats. it is incredible for anyone who has achieved as much irregardless of background.

make it 6 and a mountain

 

[ABCD]

Hey, Prof, nice theory.

The only sure thing is that from your reaction towards Nole's situation it is abundantly clear that you have no idea what people in war zones go through.

Read carefully my post that you quote once again, then watch the video of the 7 years old Nole which was supposedly made in the years of wars as you yourself claimed (btw, you are also wrong about the final years when Nole was there, as he moved to Germany at latest in the middle of 1999, whereas you included also 2000 as an year of suffering for him), then note that he himself said that he never lost a relative in the bombings, that he actually was travelling with his father abroad, when the citizens of the then Yugoslavia required a visa which was granted mostly to the privileged, that he and his family had a constant contact and he was relying on the connections of a former high-profile tennis player with his own tennis academy etc etc, and try to understand what I am saying.

You don't have a clue what you are talking about. Words can't explain how much you don't have a clue. Everything you written is deeply wrong (lost in translation if you get it). If I believed that you are just slightly receptive and open minded I would write up now an essay of many pages to explain it all. However, as its, that would be a case of "margaritas ante porcos". Anyway, this is a light-hearted tennis forum.

 

[Tennis_Hands]

You don't have a clue what you are talking about. Words can't explain how much you don't have a clue. Everything you written is deeply wrong (lost in translation if you get it). If I believed that you are just slightly receptive and open minded I would write up now an essay of many pages to explain it all. However, as its, that would be a case of "margaritas ante porcos". Anyway, this is a light-hearted tennis forum.

 

[George Turner]

Greater comebacks than Djokovic;

-Muhammad Ali, after being banned for three years for refusing to fight a war he didn't believe in
-George Foreman, oldest heavyweight champion aged 45, having taken a ten year break
-Jack Nicklaus. Won the masters aged 46 with an ATG round, when he had no chance of ever winning again.
-Roger Federer. Came back from major surgery and six months off aged 35 to beat his greatest rival
-Michael Phelps. Retired depressed in 2012, found the motivation to come back and win again.
-Jonah Lomu. Diagnosed with a serious kidney condition aged 21, took time off and became one of the ATG rugby players and the sports biggest superstar. The condition cut short his career and killed him aged 40.

Djokovics comeback is nowhere near one of the great comebacks, lets get some perspective. Its like saying Tiger woods made a great comeback winning the 2005 masters, having had a slump where he didn't win any majors 2003-2004.

 

[George Turner]

Double post

 

[smash hit]

Roger Federer. Came back from major surgery

Roger Federer did not undergo major surgery. He had an arthroscopic procedure done to repair a torn meniscus. It is a minimally invasive procedure and is usually done as an outpatient.

 

[TennisFan3]

For those interested, here is the video of the Podcast.

Novak looks very relaxed and gives great insights. Jay Shetty obviously is a great host.

 

[True Fanerer]

Good timing

 

[TennisFan3]

Good timing

Haha. Maybe I should have posted this if/after Novak won the French?

 

[BGod]

Greater comebacks than Djokovic;

-Muhammad Ali, after being banned for three years for refusing to fight a war he didn't believe in
-George Foreman, oldest heavyweight champion aged 45, having taken a ten year break
-Jack Nicklaus. Won the masters aged 46 with an ATG round, when he had no chance of ever winning again.
-Roger Federer. Came back from major surgery and six months off aged 35 to beat his greatest rival
-Michael Phelps. Retired depressed in 2012, found the motivation to come back and win again.
-Jonah Lomu. Diagnosed with a serious kidney condition aged 21, took time off and became one of the ATG rugby players and the sports biggest superstar. The condition cut short his career and killed him aged 40.

Djokovics comeback is nowhere near one of the great comebacks, lets get some perspective. Its like saying Tiger woods made a great comeback winning the 2005 masters, having had a slump where he didn't win any majors 2003-2004.

Ali used the rope a dope strategy, he was still past his prime and wasn't able to dominate in the same fashion after this victory. Golf is golf. Foreman wasn't anywhere near the top at that point, there were already 3 divisions and a lot of circumstances allowed him to get one of the belts although he got absolutely robbed against Briggs and deserved to get a title shot against Lennox at 49. And about Phelps, he didn't dominate in 2016 and it's still swimming though winning 4 Golds at a swimming events when nobody had made 3 is certainly all-time.

Novak is on 3 consecutive Slams after 2 years of not only failing to win any but being embarrassed in early rounds of secondary tournaments with a bum elbow. And at 31 it's nothing to sneeze at.

Mario Lemieux is pretty epic though as another add on.