The top ranked tennis player in the world Novak Djokovic has donated $ 100,000 from his own pocket to the UNICEF, a wing of the United Nations Child Aid Organization. However, it doesn’t seem that the three time Grand Slam winner had to dig too deep into his pocket with his prize money for the year exceeding $ 12 million for the calendar year of 2011. The ‘Djoker’ donated the $ 100,000 as a Christmas present to the Serbian wing of the aid organization.
Djokovic is known for his philanthropic activities, something that almost all tennis players are known for but growing up in the war ravaged former country, Novak knows exactly what the kids of his country are going through and that was evident from his speech when he said that he hoped his little contribution would help at least some of the young kids to reach their full potential. Novak Djokovic had been appointed as the national ambassador for UNICEF in Serbia in August.
Djokovic also added that he hoped that the money he donated would go on to make a difference in the lives of the disabled children of the Roma community, who are a gypsy clan of the region. Djokovic grew up in Belgrade at a time when NATO bombings were a regular sight in the city and he also added that he is grateful that the children of today do not have to face that.
Djokovic, who won three Grand Slams in 2011 and a further 12 ATP Tour titles will head off to Abu Dhabi to play in a tournament where Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are also slated to play. But Novak Djokovic did manage to find some time from his hectic schedule to donate the money at the charity event held in his homeland.
Born on May 22, 1987, in Belgrade, Serbia, Novak Djokovic currently resides in Monte Carlo. Born to father Srdan and mother Dijana he can speak four different languages, i.e., Serbian, English, Italian and German and has two younger siblings, Marko and Djordje. They also share the same interest in tennis as Djokovic who started playing at the tender age of four and in the summer of 1993 this raw talent was spotted by Jelena Gencic, a Yugoslav tennis legend. At the age of twelve in September 1999 he went to Pilic, a tennis academy situated in Oberschleibhein, Germany, and spent three months practising there. His international career started when he was fourteen years old and he won the European championship in singles and doubles.
Novak Djokovic is also famous for his off- court humorous impersonations of his colleagues and often entertains the audience with the same. This earned him the nickname of “Djoker” which is a blend of the word joker and his surname. “Champions for Peace” is a club created by Peace and Sport, a Monaco-based international organisation with an objective of spreading peace in the world through the help of sport of which Djokovic is a member. His philanthropist side is also shown in his love, help and assistance rendered to the Serbian people, monasteries and churches. In 2006 Novak Djokovic broke into the top 40 world ranking and in the Dutch Open won his maiden title and thereafter moved into the top 20.
The year 2007 started off on a positive note for this tennis star who was successful at the Australian summer season. He then went on to win in Rotterdam and later his first Master Series title at the ‘fifth Grand Slam’ in Miami. The highlight of the year came when he defeated Roger Federer, Rafeal Nadal and Andy Roddick and went on to win the Montreal tournament. He lost to Roger Federer in his first appearance in the Grand Slam final in the US Open. He went on to win five titles in this year and even made his first appearance at the Masters Cup in shangai and finished the year on a high note as number three in the world tennis ranking. 2008 was another remarkable year for Novak Djokovic. He took his first ever Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open and followed it with three other big titles: The Masters Cup in Shanghai and Masters in Rome and Indian Wells.
The most successful season in his career, 2009 did not start on good note when he was defeated in the opening round. Till now he had played in ten finals and had lifted the winning trophy in five cities : Paris, Beijing, Dubai, Belgrade and Dubai and the one in his hometown was the most cherished one. He was the runner up in the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments held in Cincinnati, Rome. The year finished with Novak Djokovic as world number three. Djokovic’s idol is Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi his inspiration. 2010 saw him lead Serbia into the Davis Cup World Group quarter-finals for the first time and he finished the year as word number two.
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Greatest Serbian Tennis Players | admin | 
July 30, 2010 4:20 pm | 
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