Octopus nets Novak Djokovic biography from Mark Hodgkinson

Cassell has acquired a biography of Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, Searching for Novak: The Man Behind the Enigma, by Mark Hodgkinson.  

Trevor Davies, commissioning editor at the Octopus imprint, acquired world English Language rights from Nick Walters at DLA. It will be published in hardback in July 2024 at £22.  

“This compelling and exhaustively researched biography of Novak Djokovic – the greatest male tennis player of all time – explores the events, influences and beliefs that have made him one of the most enigmatic and successful sportsmen in history,” Octopus said.  

It is based on new material and new interviews with people close to Djokovic – including his friends and mentors, along with his former coaches and his rivals – offering an “in-depth exploration of the psyche of one of the most fascinating and controversial sporting characters ever”.  

The publisher added: “From a bomb shelter in Belgrade to an immigration detention centre in Melbourne, and everywhere in between, this book uncovers his relentless pursuit of perfection and the unconventional approaches that have propelled him to greatness.”  

Hodgkinson is known for his biographies of Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Serena Williams. A writer for Wimbledon.com and a former Telegraph tennis correspondent, he has ghostwritten columns for Boris Becker and Pete Sampras among others as well as many other collaborations.   

Davies commented: “This is an amazing and in-depth study of tennis’ most successful players. Mark’s research was incredible. He has interviewed friends, trainers, coaches, fellow players, psychologists, neighbours and even a refugee who was in the Melbourne detention centre at the same time as Djokovic.  

“Mark also draws from his own previous interviews with Novak himself. He travelled to Serbia and was given access to the bunker where the Djokovic family sheltered during the NATO bombings in 1999. Searching for Novak truly unveils the man behind the enigma.”  

Hodgkinson said: “Djokovic is the most successful tennis player in history. That’s interesting in itself. Even more compelling is the way he has achieved that greatness: the bombs and the hardships in his backstory and his more recent experiences in a Melbourne ‘prison’, and all the other psychological struggles that come with trying to win big. Plus, Djokovic is the most curious, unconventional and progressive of tennis players... He has the most original mind in tennis, perhaps across all sports.”