ATP Tour

Recapping Djokovic's new documentary: An unprecedented look at Novak's journey

Novak Djokovic will soon begin his quest for a fifth US Open title in New York. And when fans at Flushing Meadows and around the world watch the Serbian compete, some will know him better than ever before.

That is because “Novak Djokovic: The Wolf In Winter”, a documentary about the ATP No. 1 Club star was released on Amazon Prime last week.

The one-hour, 33-minute feature is an enlightening look at Djokovic's journey, from his earliest days in the sport to the motivation behind his mentality.

“When I came on the Tour, I didn’t care about Federer, Nadal, or anyone else,” Djokovic, who provided unprecedented access, said in the documentary. “I just had a clear goal: In my mind I want to be No. 1, I want to win Wimbledon, I want to make history of this sport.”

There was plenty of insight to go around, whether from Djokovic himself, his wife, Jelena Djokovic, Andre Agassi or even Rafael Nadal.

Jelena explained that, “for him, tennis is a safe nest. That’s the place where he finds love”.

That started at an early age, when he not only loved the sport, but was a fierce competitor. His mother, Dijana, explained that losing even one set sometimes made her son cry.

“He didn’t want to lose,” Djokovic’s mother said.

Djokovic and Nadal enjoyed one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, with the Serbian winning their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 31-29. He certainly earned the respect of his great rival.

“Difficult. Intense,” Nadal described the experience of facing Djokovic. “I felt always that I needed to be at my 100 per cent, playing so well, to have real chances. A lot of times, it would not be enough.”

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Agassi never faced Djokovic, but spent a brief time as his coach and they have long shown a tonne of respect for one another.

“I don’t feel like he’s been appreciated nearly as much as he’s worthy of for what he’s brought to the game of tennis,” Agassi said. “Nobody can touch what he’s accomplished. It is as clear as it gets: he’s the best of all time.”

From tracking his journey to his greatest accomplishments, the documentary also touched on Djokovic’s eventual retirement and the former World No. 1 player’s feelings on being constantly asked about it.

“When you are at the top, when you are dominating,” Djokovic said. “When you’re feeling like you’re the best regardless of your age, you want to keep going.”