According to Julia Apostoli, Stefanos Tsitsipas’ mother, Novak Djokovic’s difficult upbringing bred a mental toughness that sets him apart from Roger Federer, who had a happier childhood. Apostoli shared her perspective in a recent interview on a Russian YouTube show.
Djokovic’s mentality is characterized by his upbringing
Djokovic’s early years were marked by the Yugoslav Wars. Born in Belgrade in 1987, the 24-time Grand Slam champion grew up amid the violent breakup of Yugoslavia, which culminated in the creation of six smaller countries in a decade of conflict that claimed around 100,000 lives.
Apostoli, a former tennis player herself, highlighted the stark contrast between Djokovic and Federer’s childhoods. “I lived in Belgrade for a while and therefore speak Serbo-Croatian. By the way, even though Djokovic is written about as a Serb, he is actually a Bosnian by birth. But he chose one of the nationalities that existed in Yugoslavia. He had one very difficult childhood,” she said.
She addressed Djokovic’s struggles during the war. “He had to hide in bomb shelters as a child. Federer grew up in a happy country – Switzerland. That’s also worth considering. Federer didn’t experience those moments when you have to risk something to achieve something else.”
Recently, Djokovic reflected in an interview with the Argentine newspaper TheNation about his upbringing during the war, when he visited the country for the farewell match of Juan-Martín del Potro.
“I remember standing in line with my grandfather at 5 a.m. to get bread to feed our entire family – my grandfather, my aunt, my uncle, my cousins, my siblings, mine Parents and me. We all lived together in a small apartment because we had no other choice, and those are the things that became an essential part of my character, who I am as a person today,” the Serbian star said .
