One of the world's greatest tennis players, Novak Djokovic, has praised what he calls the “champion mentality” of Dubai, a city he considers his second home.
“I love that people here want to be the best in the world,” the Serbian athlete said during a chat at the Dubai Future District Fund's annual general meeting on Thursday.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner, who currently lives in Marbella, Spain, said he wanted the emirate to be a “base for my business and innovation”.
During the one-on-one session with CNN's Becky Anderson, Djokovic discussed the struggles he faced growing up in a conflict-hit Serbia, and how those experiences contributed to his stellar tennis career.
“Obviously coming from a war-torn country in the '90s, it was not easy, and there was a lot of adversity in society and challenges that my family had to face to support and fund the career of a tennis player,” he says.
“I was a young boy who dared to dream big and believe that those dreams would come true.”
Djokovic was born in Belgrade in 1987, and started playing tennis at the age of four. His professional career started in 2003, when he joined his first ATP Tour, a global tournament organised by the Association of Tennis Professionals.
He has since won 93 ATP singles titles, and is currently ranked world No 2 in men's singles by the international organisation.
Djokovic said his upbringing “has had a great influence” on his character. “Waiting in line for several hours from 6am to have a piece of bread that we would all share. It was hard, but at the same time I look back and reflect on that as a very important stage in my life,” he added.
The Serbian player had held the No 1 position in the ATP's rankings for a record 380 weeks. He lost it this month to Spanish athlete Carlos Alcaraz after missing various tournaments in the US.
Djokovic has not been vaccinated against Covid-19, and this has barred him from entering the states. In a separate interview with Anderson, the tennis star said he has “no regrets” about not being vaccinated.
“I’ve learnt through life that regrets only hold you back and basically make you live in the past, and I don’t want to do that.”
Can NRIs vote in the election?
Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad
Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency
There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas
Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas
A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians
Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.
This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India
A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians
However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed
The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas
Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online
The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online
The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Company%20profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The%20specs
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