FACTBOX - Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic

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LONDON (Reuters) - Factbox on Novak Djokovic, who won his third grand slam and first Wimbledon title by beating Spain's Rafa Nadal in the final on Sunday.

* Born: Belgrade, Serbia, May 22, 1987

MAKING HIS NAME

* He began playing tennis aged four.

* His father was a professional skier and wanted his son to be a skier or professional soccer player but changed his mind when Djokovic excelled at tennis from an early age.

* First full year on tour in 2005, made grand slam debut as a qualifier at the Australian Open, losing to Marat Safin in the first round. Finished as the youngest player (18 years, five months) inside the top 100.

* In 2006, he won his first ATP tour title at Amersfoort, follows that with second title indoors at Metz.

* Breakthrough year in 2007, he won five titles (Adelaide, Miami, Estoril, Montreal and Vienna) and made at least semi-finals in three of the four grand slams (French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open)

* Coached by Slovak former ATP professional Marian Vajda since 2006.

* He is renowned for his impersonations of other players and celebrities.

* Has been known to get under players' skins, with incessant ball-bouncing before serving during matches.

GRAND SLAM AGONY AND ECSTASY

* He retired in the 2006 French Open quarter-finals against Nadal when trailing by two sets and again a year later due to blisters in the Wimbledon semi-final against the same opponent.

* In 2007 he advanced to his first grand slam final at the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows, losing to Federer 7-6 7-6 6-4.

* Broke the Federer-Nadal grand slam duopoly by beating Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets to win his maiden major title at Melbourne Park in 2008.

* Failed to defend his title in Melbourne the following year after controversially pulling out of his quarter-final against Andy Roddick citing heat exhaustion on a sweltering day.

* Lost in the quarter-final at Melbourne Park to Tsonga last year when he suffered a stomach bug.

* Upset Federer in the semi-finals of the 2010 U.S. Open before losing in four sets to Nadal in the final.

* Led Serbia to their first Davis Cup title with victory over France in Belgrade in December, 2010.

* Began 2011 by roaring through the draw at Melbourne Park including a straight-sets thrashing of Federer in the semi-final before taking down Murray to end his three-year wait for a second grand slam.

* Djokovic won his next six tournaments in Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Belgrade, Madrid and Rome. He did not lose again until June 3 when Federer ended his 41-match winning streak in 2011 in the French Open semi-finals.

* Secured the number one spot when the next rankings are published on July 4 by beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Wimbledon semi-finals, then beat Nadal to clinch his third grand slam title.

* His Wimbledon win was his first grasscourt title.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/factbox-wimbledon-champion-novak-djokovic-163459752.html
 
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