Novak Djokovic wishes a Happy Arangelovdan to fellow Serbians
Novak Djokovic is a devout and proud Orthodox Christian who can often be seen wearing a wooden cross around his neck to practice his faith.
Every year on November 21, the Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates a holiday — the day of St. Archangel Michael or the people of Arangelovdan. Michael is said to be God’s "archangel," which means "chief angel" and his name means "the one who is like God."
Sharing a piece of scripture on the pious occasion, tennis icon Djokovic took to social media to wish everyone who was celebrating the great holiday. He also said a prayer for St. Michael the Archangel to protect everyone from evil.
"Happy Arangelovdan to all who celebrate. St. Michael the Archangel, protect us and save us from every evil," Djokovic wrote.
When the legendary tennis player was honored with the order of St. Sava in the first degree by the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 2011, he stated that he was an Orthodox Christian before he was an athlete. The order of St. Sava is the highest distinction in the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the tennis star received it for his financial contributions to the renovation of religious buildings in Serbia.
“This is the most important title of my life because before being an athlete, I am an Orthodox Christian," he said.
“I always see myself as the best player in the world" - Novak Djokovic after winning ATP Finals
Novak Djokovic equaled Roger Federer's record of six ATP Finals titles on Sunday as he downed Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-3 in Turin. Even after being barred from playing in multiple tournaments due to his unvaccinated status, the Serb finished the year with five titles and as the fifth-ranked player. He also became the oldest ATP Finals Champion, overcoming players like Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, and Ruud. The 35-year-old lost just one set in five matches on the way to his 91st ATP title.
Speaking about his future in a post-match press conference, Djokovic stated that he still had the hunger to go out and win as much as possible and that there was enough motivation to do so.
“I don't know what the future holds, but I know that what I hold in my mind is a huge hunger still to win trophies, to make history in this sport, compete on the highest level, and bring good emotions to tennis fans," he said. "That's what drives me a lot. I have a lot of different motivational factors, and I don't lack any motivation at the moment. Of course, we all have bad days or bad weeks. But generally, the feeling is still there.”
“I always see myself as the best player in the world. I have that kind of mentality and that kind of approach. Regardless of who is across the net, regardless of what the surface is, and regardless of what season it is. It's always the same. The ambitions are as high as possible," he added.