"I open it every day, kiss every member of my family" - Novak Djokovic shares why his 'planet' necklace is very important to him

Novak Djokovic recently opened up on the significance of one of the necklaces he wears, saying it helps him feel connected to his family when he is on tour. The Serb is on the hunt for a record 11th title at the Australian Open 2025.

In a chat with GQ Sports, he spoke about the '10 Essentials' he can't live without. Talking about his "planet" necklace, Djokovic opened up about the sentimental value behind it.

“This kind of resembles the tennis ball and also the planet. It has a kind of symbolic connection to my travelling and of course, my sport. But once you open it, the pictures of my family, you have me and my wife, my son, my daughter, and our doggies. (It’s an) extremely important necklace to me,” Djokovic said (13:10 onwards).

The “planet” on the necklace opens up into four small dials which contain photos of his wife Jelena, son Stefan, and daughter Tara. It also contains a picture of his two dogs, Pierre and Tesla.

“I open this necklace up every day and I kiss every member of my family and I know that they're always with me, even if we are not physically together. So yeah, I wear this all the time. I do tend to forget it somewhere in some bag, particularly this one when I am travelling. But then somehow I always find it, there's some strong connection there.”

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Novak Djokovic's family joins him at the Australian Open 2025

The Australian Open 2025 will be a special one for Novak Djokovic as he will have his family cheering him on from the stands. The Serbian, in an on-court interview after the "Night with Novak" event on Friday, said that this is his family's first time in Australia.

"It means the world to me. It's their first time in Australia, so it's great to have them there. My heart is full, you know, when I have my family with me. It's a long way to get to Australia from where we live. I appreciate my wife [who was] willing to make the trip with my kids and giving me support that is always necessary," he said.

The 37-year-old is on a quest for his 11th title Down Under and will look to avenge his loss to eventual champion Jannik Sinner, who defeated him in the quarterfinal last year.

Novak Djokovic with his family. - Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic begins his Australian Open 2025 campaign on Sunday, January 12, with an interesting match-up as he faces Grand Slam debutant and former hitting partner, Nishesh Basavareddy.