No Djoke

Novak Djokovic is having the best tennis season ever

Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA

Serbian Tennis phenom Novak Djokovic used to be more famous for clowning around than for winning tournaments. On YouTube, you'll find Djokovic (pronounced Joke-oh-vich) performing a karaoke "I Will Survive." He once modeled undies at a fashion show. His impressions of Rafael Nadal, John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova are crowd favorites. "I like to laugh my ass out," Djokovic says. (When you juggle four languages, as he does, you're allowed to jumble a phrase or two.)

But he's not just the Djoker anymore. At a routine hitting session in Los Angeles one August afternoon, he's firing shots that have his sparring...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!