Everyone knows that Novak Djokovic is not only the best Serbian, but also the best world tennis player ever. But who else is among the 10 best Serbian tennis players of all time?
Moreover, since the creation of the ATP rankings on August 23, 1973, Serbia has had a total of ten tennis players who managed to be among the best 100 in the world at some point. In other words, half of that number is currently active.
It is very interesting that this number would have been higher for one more name if only Ilija Bozoljac had managed to improve his best career ranking by just one place . Ilija achieved his best ranking in 2007 – 101st place on the ATP rankings.
Who is on the list of the ten best Serbian tennis players of all time, if we take the best rank on the ATP rankings as a parameter?
10. NIKOLA SPEAR
Nikola Spear (1944-2017) achieved the best placement in his career on July 2nd, 1977, when he took 78th place . This man from Subotica is also known for defeating French tennis player Daniel Conte 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 in the first round at Roland Garros in 1968. It was the first such result in the history of the Grand Slam tournament, and later it was repeated only three more times. In the strongest tournaments, Spear reached the fourth round of Roland Garros twice (1966 and 1967).
IN MEMORIAM: Nikola Špear (1944 – 2017) https://t.co/DTl3PKodKe pic.twitter.com/NSI9me4e92
— Dnevnik online (@DnevnikNS) December 1, 2017
9. BORIS PASANSKI
On February 27th, 2006, Boris Pasanski took the 55th place on the ATP rankings, primarily thanks to very well played tournaments on clay, which was his favorite surface. In his career, he did not manage to win a single title at the ATP level, and his best finish in Grand Slam tournaments was the second round of the Australian Open in 2006.
Boris Pasanski #daviscup pic.twitter.com/5EgHXfyt
— dupla greska (@duplagreska) January 29, 2013
8. MIOMIR KECMANOVIC
At the beginning of 2023, Miomir Kecmanovic reached his best career ranking – 27th place. Misha has one title at the ATP level so far – in the Austrian Kitzbühel in 2020, and on the Grand Slam tournaments he reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2022.
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7. LASLO DJERE
Laslo Djere’s best ranking on the ATP ranking is, like Miomir Kecmanovic’s, 27th place, which he reached on June 10th, 2019. So far in his career, he has won two titles, and his best result at the Slams is the third round of Roland Garros, which he reached twice in 2019 and 2021.
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6. FILIP KRAJINOVIC
Filip Krajinovic has had one place better rank than Kecmanovic’s and Djere’s current best career ranking – 26th place, which he reached on April 23rd, 2018. Unfortunately, Krajinovic still did not win his first ATP title, but he played in the final of the Masters in Paris. At the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open, he reached the third round on several occasions.
Look what it means to him 🙏
Filip Krajinovic ends Peniston’s dream run at Queen’s, recording a 4-6 6-3 6-3 win to make a first grass court semi-final!#cinchChampionships pic.twitter.com/syYLbjRPoa
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 17, 2022
5. DUSAN LAJOVIC
Dusan Lajovic, after playing the final of the Masters in Monte Carlo, where he was defeated by Fabio Fognini, on April 29th, 2019, reached the best ranking in his career – 23rd place. Lajovic has one ATP title in his career, which he won in Umag, Croatia. Dusan managed to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2021 and the same stage at Roland Garros in 2014.
Fognini & Lajovic @ the ceremony in #RolexMCMasters #ATPMasters1000. Congratulations to both players! ;)🇮🇹 🇷🇸 pic.twitter.com/Haz0dpnavg
— 俄フェレリスタ (@NiwakaFerreris) April 21, 2019
4. SLOBODAN ZIVOJINOVIC
Slobodan Boba Zivojinovic was by far the best Serbian tennis player in history for a very long time, until the arrival of Novak’s generation. Boba’s 19th place, which he reached on October 26th, 1987, seemed unattainable. Zivojinovic, the husband of famous Yugoslavian singer – Lepa Brena, played in the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1986 and won two ATP singles titles in his career.
Name a more fun to say tennis name than Slobodan Zivojinovic, I’ll wait. pic.twitter.com/ODkZmsEdp5
— FrancisBaconEgg&Cheese (@sbattagofficial) August 30, 2022
3. VIKTOR TROICKI
On June 6th, 2011, Troicki was ranked 12th on the ATP rankings, which remained his best ranking until the end of his career. Viktor could have even entered the top ten if he hadn’t been suspended for a year due to doping charges.
My friend, my comrade @troicki_viktor. You have been a very important part of my personal growth & tennis story. Hvala brate ❤️ It may be the end of a fantastic career, but you are no doubt to inspire new champions my friend. Thank you for everything Ćivša! Good luck! pic.twitter.com/9mspS0BIww
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) June 24, 2021
Viktor managed to get back into the top 20 after the break, but a place in the top ten remained a forever elusive dream. In his career, he won three titles at the ATP level, along with the Davis Cup trophy. The furthest he reached at the Slams was the fourth round at Roland Garros (2011, 2013 and 2016) and at Wimbledon (2012 and 2015).
2. JANKO TIPSAREVIC
Along with Novak, Janko is, to this day, the only Serbian tennis player who managed to enter the Top 10 on the ATP rankings in singles. He was world number eight for the first time on April 2nd, 2012, and when you look at which players were among the top ten at that time , the success gains even more importance. Janko won four titles in his career, along with the Davis Cup. At the US Open, he reached the quarterfinals twice – in 2011 and 2012.
🇷🇸 Janko Tipsarevic has announced he will retire from professional tennis at the end of this year.
Congratulations on a great career, @TipsarevicJanko 👏 pic.twitter.com/I2sa9mNkLS
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 20, 2019
1. NOVAK DJOKOVIC
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Novak appeared on the first place of the ATP rankings for the first time on July 4th, 2011 and has spent a total of 418 weeks on number 1, which is an absolute record. He is the owner of 24 Grand Slam trophies (10 Australian Open, 3 Roland Garros, 7 Wimbledon and 4 US Open) in addition to the Davis Cup trophy and bronze at the Olympic Games. He won a total of 98 titles in his career and is already breaking his own records.
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Honorable mention: Nenad Zimonjic
Although his best rank in singles was 176th place, Nenad Zimonjić reached the first place in the world in the doubles on November 17th, 2008 which made him second Serbian player ever to reach such feat after Slobodan Zivojinovic in 1986.
🗣 Nenad Zimonjic (🇷🇸 Davis Cup captain): “It’s going to be a strong competition and our group is really tough.”#DavisCupMadridFinals#byRakuten@TSSRBIJE | @nenadzim
Full interview ➡️ https://t.co/mcTYP5OKqI pic.twitter.com/k2mWoz8Klf— Davis Cup by Rakuten Madrid Finals (@DavisCupFinals) September 19, 2019
