What languages does Novak Djokovic speak? How many dialects can Serbian tennis ace speak after BBC interview

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Djokovic’s talent in languages shines even if his chance to play tennis again rapidly decreases due to vaccination status.

The Serbian tennis player has recently been interviewed by the BBC following the recent drama surrounding his vaccination status at the Australian Open.

The number one tennis player in the world was deported from Australia in January after the government cancelled his visa in a row over his lack of vaccine.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It had initially been thought he had obtained a medical exemption to enter the county as he had recently recovered from the virus but the county’s immigration minister, Alex Hawke, cancelled the Serbian’s visa on the grounds that his presence was likely to incite ‘civil unrest’ and encourage anti-vaccine sentiment.

During Novak Djokovic’s interview with the BBC’s Amol Rajan, the tennis player stated that he: “was never against vaccination but i’ve always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body.”

Djokovic has 20 Grand Slams to his nameDjokovic has 20 Grand Slams to his name
Djokovic has 20 Grand Slams to his name | Getty Images

The interview was conducted in English with Djokovic speaking it almost perfectly with tennis fans rushing to learn how many languages the tennis player can speak.

How many languages can Novak Djokovic speak?

The tennis player is a self-described love of languages and speaks Serbian, English, French, German and Italian fluently.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

According to the website sportskeeda.com, Djokovic can speak an additional six languages to the five already mentioned.

These include Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Portuguese and Japanese.

With English being the official language of the tennis tour, many players find it a necessity to speak at least the basics of the language.

Djokovic has taken this many steps further in his ability to speak the language of what seems like every country on the tour.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Djokovic’s abilities in these languages vary dramatically. In interviews, the 34-year-old is able to conduct himself in the aforementioned five languages while the remaining six seem to be ones he has attempted over the years.

Djokovic is proficient in at least six languagesDjokovic is proficient in at least six languages
Djokovic is proficient in at least six languages | Getty Images

The latest language the Serbian seems to have acquired is Spanish. Djokovic appeared unable to speak the Mediterranean language until 2013 but within four years, he was able to give an entire interview in Spanish which was seen at the 2017 Madrid Masters.

It may not be long before the Serbian is learning even more languages given he is likely to have much more freedom than he would like to due his lack of vaccination.

What else was said in the BBC interview?

During his long-awaited interview, Djokovic confirmed that he would be willing to forego the chance to win another trophy, and consequently have a chance at becoming the statistically most successful male tennis player of all time if it meant he would be forced to get the vaccine.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Asked why, Djokovic replied: “Because the principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I’m trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can.”

In addition, Djokovic said that he had “always been a great student of wellness, well-being, health, nutrition” and his decision was partly influenced by the positive impact factors such as changing his diet and sleeping patterns had on his abilities as an athlete.

“I was never against vaccination. I understand that globally, everyone is trying to put a big effort into handling this virus and seeing, hopefully, an end soon to this virus.”

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. NationalWorld is a new national news brand, produced by a team of journalists, editors, video producers and designers who live and work across the UK. Find out more about who’s who in the team, and our editorial values. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going. You can also sign up to our newsletters and get a curated selection of our best reads to your inbox every day.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

Telling news your way
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice