How Djokovic Turned His Junior Weaknesses Into World-Class Weapons

Key Points

• Early Assessment and Mindset
  As a junior, Novak had few weaknesses, but his backhand was his best shot—not enough to dominate at the pro level.Dejan emphasized the need to develop a world-class forehand as a weapon to dictate play and force errors.Novak was receptive and motivated, driven by his parents’ ambitions for him to become world No. 1.
• Technical Development
  Forehand Focus:Shifted from consistent shotmaking to building a weapon (inside-out and inside-in forehands).Forehand used to start rallies aggressively and take time away from opponents.Serve Improvement:Moved from a high-percentage slice serve to a more powerful serve that created free points.Set up immediate use of the forehand after serve returns.Short Ball Attack & Net Transition:Developed the ability to finish points early by punishing short balls.Practiced approach shots followed by net play, turning court position into advantage.
• Key Drills
  Figure 8 Drill:Practiced extensively with peers like Janko Tipsarević.Improved target selection, consistency, and intensity—used leading up to Slams.Helped both players break into the Top 100.Sparring Sets Before Tournaments:Implemented new tactics in live point situations against top-level training partners.Improved match-readiness and transferred drills into real play.
• Physical Transformation
  As a junior elite, Novak struggled physically—fatigue and retirements were common.Dejan integrated conditioning into tennis drills (e.g. lateral movement with intensity).Fitness coach + on-court training emphasized:Lung capacity, leg endurance, and sprint ability.Built the physical base Novak is now famous for.
• Strategic Growth
  Early game plans were solid for juniors but insufficient at ATP level.Success required turning good strokes into weapons and tactical flexibility.Novak learned to adjust strategies based on:Opponent’s styleMatch conditionsShot combinations (serve + forehand)
• Key Takeaway
  Novak Djokovic’s dominance didn’t happen by chance—it came from a clear plan:Build the forehand as a weapon,Improve the serve to set it up,Combine that with world-class conditioning andAn ability to implement game plans under pressure.These layered developments are what turned a talented junior into one of the greatest of all time.