Novak Djokovic may have won the Global Sportsman of the Year award during Sunday’s Globe Soccer Awards. He may have 24 Grand Slams to his name and 102 titles in total. He may have caused jaws to drop with his persistence – the man who never gives up. But he didn’t get here all that easily. Novak’s early years weren’t exactly a cakewalk. Imagine being asked, “Wait, who’re you again?” A resurfaced footage of commentators mocking him early in his career recently made rounds, and Djoker, as always, brushed it off. They just didn’t know better.

Footage has resurfaced from the pre-match build-up around Novak Djokovic’s early breakthrough at Roland Garros. The Belgrade-born teenager had just won his maiden Grand Slam match, defeating Robby Ginepri. It was a small step then, but one that hinted at something far bigger to come.

The 18-year-old Djokovic was set to face Guillermo Coria, the 2004 French Open runner-up, in the second round. American television coverage of that match later became part of a memorable moment. Djokovic was shown the clip during a live Q&A at the World Sports Summit in Dubai on Monday.

In the footage, a commentator introduced him with clear irony. “Today, Novak Djokovic is taking the court, and what do we know about this guy?” she asked. Her colleague replied bluntly, “Not a lot,” before laughing. The tone was light, but the message was unmistakable.

The commentary continued with playful mockery. “This kid is the youngest in the draw, he just turned 18 years old. He is tall, thin and very hungry. When you look at him, you would say that he is hungry both literally and figuratively.” It was an offhand assessment of a player still unknown to many.

Djokovic watched the clip calmly and smiled. His response was sharp and understated. “She was right, I’m still hungry.” The line landed perfectly. It reflected both his sense of humor and the relentless ambition that has defined his career.

That early mocking did not last long. Djokovic made his Grand Slam debut at the 2005 Australian Open, losing to eventual champion Marat Safin. From there, his rise was historic. He went on to win a men’s record 24 Grand Slam singles titles and spent an all-time record 428 weeks as world number one.

Even at 38, Djokovic remains competitive at the highest level. In 2025, he won titles in Geneva and Athens. He also reached the semifinals of all four major tournaments. His longevity continues to set him apart from his peers.

Speaking later in Dubai, Djokovic shared his motivation for continuing. “So, I do want to keep on going. I said that the LA Olympics 28 is kind of a guiding star. But, honestly, there is no limit. So, let’s see. You know what I mean? Like, I just keep going. I love, love hitting the tennis ball. And I love competing,” he said.

“I was saying to the guys that I was talking to, you know, the great footballers, that it’s really about passion and love. And as long as you really feel like you’re playing on a high level and your body holds on, why not?”

And in another moment of sharp wit, Novak recently had a brief exchange with a commentator at this year’s Australian Open, a response that clearly caught the Australian broadcaster off guard.

Novak Djokovic blasts Australian Open broadcaster over insulting remarks

Djokovic has never shied away from delivering sharp responses, and another incident surfaced at this year’s Australian Open. The 10-time champion broke his silence after refusing to give the customary on-court interview following his R16 win. The decision immediately drew attention and sparked widespread discussion.

Djokovic dominated Czech player Jiri Lehecka in straight sets, winning 6-3, 6-4, 7-6. The victory set up a highly anticipated quarterfinal clash with third seed Carlos Alcaraz. Despite the emphatic win, the focus quickly shifted away from the tennis and toward Djokovic’s post-match stance.

Soon after, Djokovic addressed the situation on social media. He explained that his refusal to speak on court was deliberate. He accused a “famous sports journalist” of making insulting remarks about him and Serbian fans during a live broadcast on Channel 9, the Australian Open’s official broadcaster.

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Djokovic stated that neither the journalist nor Channel 9 had issued a public apology at the time. As a result, he chose to withhold interviews with the network.

“A journalist who works for Channel 9 in Australia made a mockery of Serbian fans and made insulting and offensive comments towards me. Since then, he chose not to issue any public apology. Neither did Channel 9. So since they are official broadcasters, I chose not to give interviews for Channel 9,” Djokovic said in a video message on X.

The journalist involved was later identified as Tony Jones. The 63-year-old issued an apology, saying he had contacted Djokovic and his team on Saturday. Jones explained that he had viewed his remarks as “banter” and did not intend to cause offense.

Jones had sparked backlash after mocking a group of Serbian supporters during a live broadcast. He sang, “Novak, he’s overrated. Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out.” He later said, “They [the Serbian fans] come here with the flags and they provide so much colour and so much passion and there was banter, so I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Quite clearly, that hasn’t been interpreted that way. So I do feel as though I’ve let down the Serbian fans.”

Looking ahead, Djokovic is set to begin his season at the Adelaide International on January 12, before the Australian Open starts on January 19. With a record 25th Grand Slam title in sight, do you think he can win it at the AO this time?