Novak Djokovic is an inspiration to me, he has achieved so much in tennis and continues to keep going: Brother Djordje

Djordje Djokovic has hailed his illustrious brother Novak Djokovic as an inspiration, saying he always pushes his siblings to try and improve despite having achieved so much success.

Djordje, who has a background in finance, is the tournament director of the Serbia Open, an ATP 250 event, where Novak Djokovic lost to Andrey Rublev in the final last week.

In an exclusive interview with LWOS, Djordje shed light on his relationship with his two older siblings, Novak and Marko Djokovic.

“Novak is such an inspiration to me. He has achieved so much in tennis and still continues to keep going on. Yet we maintain our relationship like any other siblings. All three of us brothers moved away from home at a very young age. We kept pushing each other to do better."

Djordje added that Novak is not involved in organizing the Serbia Open, but does make it a point to provide feedback.

"Novak is not involved in the organisation of the event (Serbia Open). But he often guides me as a brother and provides valuable feedback as a top player. I definitely appreciate having that."

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"We are trying to put our best foot forward and represent Serbia on the international stage" - Novak Djokovic's brother Djordje Djokovic

Novak Djokovic (2L) and Djordje Djokovic (3R)

During the interview, Djordje Djokovic also spoke about the facilities at the Serbia Open, which includes a new player's lounge and upgraded gym.

“Belgrade is one of the greatest cities in Europe with all its history. A lot of players recognise that and they love coming here. We want to provide them with the best facilities possible throughout the whole tournament."

As for their unique initiative of planting a tree for every ticket purchased, Djordje said it was done to protect the environment and raise awareness.

“It’s a very unique initiative that we are very proud of. Not only are we hosting this beautiful event and promoting our city, we are also doing something nice for the environment and the planet.”

The Serbia Open director said he was delighted to have families in attendance at the event last week.

“My intention is for everyone to have a great time. Whether it is in the VIP box or in the stands. I’m very excited to see a number of families especially with kids attending the tournament. We must be doing something right."

Referring to the influx of international tourists due to the tournament, Djordje Djokovic said:

“We are trying to put our best foot forward to represent Serbia in the international stage. Serbian people are very welcoming and host oriented. We welcomed over 2000 international tourists who came to our city just for this tournament. We would like to take that number much higher in the coming years. I want everyone to experience what my city and my country has to offer."