By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Member of Serbia’s ATP Cup team. Winner of three ATP singles title. Member of Serbia’s Davis Cup-winning team, he won the deciding fifth match vs. France’s Llodra in straight sets (2010). Highest ranking was 12 (in 2011).
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 189
DOB: February 10, 1986 In: Belgrade, Serbia
Tennis Inspirations: “My idol was Andre Agassi. That’s how I started playing tennis, when I watched him. He was my childhood hero. I had to have everything he had, like all the Nike stuff, Head racquet. I really loved how he played. He was my idol.”
First Tennis Memory: “When I was just hitting the ball into the wall of my house. Just holding the racquet and hitting the ball somehow.”
Hobbies/Interests: “I like to hang out with my friends when I’m at home. Watch football. That’s my second sport.”
Nickname: “Vik. Some other ones but there’s a lot of them. If I decided to count ‘wm now it would take too long [smiles].”
Favorite Movie: “Maybe Blow.”
Last Book Read: “I don’t remember. I don’t read so much, I gotta admit.”
Musical Tastes: ‘I like mostly house music.”
First Job: “My uncle employed me when I was five or six to pick up all the paper around his market store.”
Current Car: “Audi A4.”
Pre-Match Feeling: “Well, I always go into the match trying to win the match. And no matter who I play, and always give my best on the court. That’s how I do it. That’s how I prepare and that’s my strategy.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “Well, one of the greatest moments was winning the Davis Cup and my first title in Moscow. And when we won the Team Cup in Dusseldorf. Serbia. And I was the no. 1 player from my country. Winning in Germany against Germany. It was quite a big moment.”
Most Painful Moment: “Maybe some loss. There was a few losses that I didn’t handle so well. When I had the match points in Moscow. I had a match point – a few match points actually – and it was to go into the semifinal. I was quite disappointed when I lost (to Zverev).”
Favorite Tournament: “I like Umag in Croatia. And the tournament in Belgrade. It was like right next to where I live, like two minutes away.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “Guys from Serbia. Novak, Janko, Zimonjic. We’re all close together. We’re all friends and hang out at the tournaments.”
Funniest Players Encountered: “Novak is always funny. All the Serbian guys, Janko, Dusan Vemic are making some jokes. They’re all pretty funny.”
Toughest Competitors: “Cannot remember now. There’s a lot of them. All the guys playing on the Tour are really good. And everyone is trying to win so I cannot pick one.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Good-hearted. Generous.”
