"It was very dark... very cold, eerie place"- Author of Novak Djokovic's biography delves into his difficult childhood with family during war 

Mark Hodgkinson, the author of Novak Djokovic's newly released biography "Searching for Novak: The Man Behind the Enigma", recounted his experience of entering the bunker where the Serb and his family took shelter during the 1999 NATO bombings. He also gave his explanation on how he felt these experiences shaped the current Olympic champion mentally.

The 37-year-old went through an extremely tough period during his childhood when his country Serbia was bombed for around two and a half months by NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). These bombings resulted in the deaths of thousands of people.

Hodgkinson recently sat down for a conversation with Tennis Majors where he mentioned for his research, he had been to the bunker where Djokovic and his family took shelter during the bombings. He explained how the bunker looked describing at as an 'eerie' place.

"As part of the research for my book, I went to Belgrade for a few days. I managed to get into the bunker where Novak and his family sheltered in 1999 during the NATO bombings," the author said.

"To get in, they had to walk through two thick steel doors. It was very dark. I guess it’s the kind of place that people don’t go too often now and I don’t think it’s changed very much since Novak was down there, but it was very cold and quite an eerie place to go to," he added.

The author felt that the Serb was never going to forget this period of his life and stated that the horrific experience had a huge effect on him.

"I think for Novak, it’s not something that he’s going to forget. All those lives, emotions and sensations that he felt when he was down there had a huge effect on him. You know, it’s not something you’re going to forget," Hodgkinson said.

"Novak Djokovic realized that it wasn't helpful for him to stay angry" - Mark Hodgkinson on the importance of switching from anger to forgiveness for the Serb

Novak Djokovic (Image source: GETTY)

Continuing his thoughts, Mark Hodgkinson said the NATO bombings shaped Novak Djokovic as a human. He felt that the Serb learned to become more forgiving as time went on as he realized anger didn't do him any good.

"That episode definitely shapes him. For a few years, he felt angry about it. He was 11 when it started. For many nights he was down there with his family. But I think as time went on, he realised that it wasn’t helpful for him to stay angry. So I think he reached a point where he felt like he could forgive, he could forgive all the people who decided to bomb Serbia and bomb Belgrade."

Hodgkinson felt that this change of mindset from anger to forgiveness was an important moment in his life.

"I think that sort of change of mindset has been helpful for him. That sort of switch from anger to forgiveness has been an important moment for him."

After clinching the elusive gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics defeating Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic is next scheduled to attempt defending his title at the Cincinnati Masters where he is the defending champion.