Djokovic: 'I feel I am imprisoning myself' on drive and doubts

Novak Djokovic, who beat Jannik Sinner to reach the Australian Open final in January, tells a new Amazon documentary he often feels he is "imprisoning myself" because of relentless self-doubt. He also says in the film: "I'm the number one doubter. I'm trying to prove myself wrong more than anybody else."

At 39, Djokovic holds more Grand Slam singles titles and Masters 1,000 crowns than any other man, having won his 24th Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open. He has reached at least the semi-finals at six of the past seven Grand Slams and in January became the oldest man in history to reach the Australian Open final; he also won Olympic gold in Paris in 2024.

Reflecting on his mindset in the documentary, Djokovic says: "I cannot say I feel content with what I have and who I am." He adds: "I am always looking to be more - better, faster, stronger. Oftentimes I feel I am imprisoning myself."

Jelena Djokovic comments on his feelings about retirement in the film, saying: "He definitely has mixed feelings about his retirement," and that "He carries that burden that he's never enough. No matter how much he does, it will never be enough. Tennis is a fulfilling place for him - a place where he feels worthy." The piece also shows footage of a public celebration in Belgrade when he won his first Grand Slam title in 2008.

The documentary traces Djokovic's childhood in Belgrade and recalls the Nato bombings between March and June 1999, including an episode in which he ran from his building to another for safety, tripped and watched a plane drop two bombs on a nearby hospital. He told BBC 5 Live: "Pretty much every day, for years, we had to wait in line for bread and milk," calling those experiences "defining moments" and adding: "There is no regret or resentment. In contrary, it's appreciation and gratitude. Everything in life happens as a reason."

On his path into professional tennis, the film records Djokovic describing his outsider status in the sport and his father borrowing money from "wrong people" to fund his early career. He says the breakthrough that disrupted the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal rivalry left him more emotive and vocal on court; "I had to suppress a lot of emotions which, later on, surfaced on the court," he told BBC 5 Live, adding: "On the court, that's where I felt safe and comfortable. It was a familiar ground." The documentary notes he has limited his schedule in recent years, playing very few tournaments outside Grand Slams.

The topic of retirement recurs after every Djokovic Grand Slam defeat, the film observes, noting that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal ended their careers in 2022 and 2024 respectively. After losing to Sinner at Wimbledon last year Djokovic said he was competing at the latter stages of Slams with the "tank half-empty"; in the documentary he rejects a fixed end date, saying: "Why would I talk about retirement when I still keep proving to myself that I can still win?" He adds: "As long as I have the drive, the passion, but most of all, as long as I feel like I can be one of the best players in the world, I want to keep going."

He restates his ambition to compete at another Olympics, saying of Los Angeles 2028: "It seems a long way out. I feel like I can make it," and: "I would like to end with the Serbian flag on my shoulders. It would be a nice way to wrap up something I'm very proud of."

However his 2026 US Open campaign pans out, Djokovic will be ready for renewed discussion about the future of his career in tennis.