Djokovic speaks 5 languages and is slowly moving to conversational in Chinese. But he also believes it is important to master basic phrases and simple back and forth exchanges in many countries he passes through. He works on skillset regularly. And being Djokovic, correct pronunciation is believed by him to be an absolutely critical part of that learning. Many host nationals like the effort he puts in to speak a little of their tongue and get out and interact with them.
He also reads Russian. (Part of Novaks tutelage with his childhood coach Jelena Gencic was reading Cyrillic text from another country)
Languages he is at the phrases and basic exchange level of skill include Dutch, Japanese, Arabic, Spanish, and Czech. His wife can also hold her own.
Roger Federer also has very good language skills. Better German and French that Novak, but Novak is more fluent in English, Italian, and (duh!) Serbian than Nole.
Novak speaks better English than Andy, as it seems to my ear, and is a little more crafted in his verbal and written expressions. Andy knows Spanish and a good amount of Gaelic Scots (maybe Margo or Kath can elaborate.)
And Rafa….well, lets just say this…he may be regressing a little in his English – but who of the Big 4 would you want at the wheel of your boat in a storm Huh? HUh! And he can mow the others over in golf skills!

January 8th, 2016 at 11:20 am

Personally i think Rafa and Andy speak very good English,ive also heard them many times speaking different languages,all goes with the territory of being a tennis pro….

January 8th, 2016 at 11:38 am

I think Andy’s English is the best. Djoko may speak literally correct English but he doesn’t have the “feel” which a native speaker like Andy has. Andy has a fantastic sense of humor, very British and subtle, which comes through very well. Djoko’s humor is more the slapstick kind. Rafa also has a better sense of humor than Djoko which comes through even in his not so fluent English and I am told by Spanish speakers that he is quite humorous when he speaks in Spanish or Mallorcan or Catalan or whatever is his native tongue.

January 8th, 2016 at 11:49 am

And his quest for love and attention continues!! Poor guy.

January 8th, 2016 at 11:58 am

Lakie i still laugh when i think of Annabelle Croft asking Andy hows the groin?and Andy said very well thanks Annabelle hows yours?and i think of Alistair McGowan doing his impressions sometimes when i watch Andy,or young Josh Berry….

Sorry Novak fans for hyjacking your thread….

January 8th, 2016 at 12:10 pm

Nole got already love and attention ..he dont need the love of the wasted majority. ..Sorry, vast majority

January 8th, 2016 at 1:57 pm

I dont know why people feel the need to pull other players to pieces over each and everything they do,even their language skills now or lack off,always the sly digs….

January 8th, 2016 at 2:18 pm

players are not linguists…and do not have to be

January 8th, 2016 at 2:20 pm

awesome guy. :) he’s always had a big interest in languages… said it years ago.

January 8th, 2016 at 3:22 pm

Sarah – “Players are not linguists…and do not have to be.”
—————-
Quite true, but the notion of a scholar-athlete as desirable is common across many cultures. Or the admiration of the scholar or artist complimenting the warrior and building a holistically more enhanced life.
Djokovic is a scholar-athlete. One that did not attend university but who tries to expand his knowledge and abilities outside tennis every day. He has a very bright mind, it is said, and talents and interests outside tennis. Certainly not the only one like that, but probably the most visible example in the sport today.
And discussing his talents and intellectual curiosity and how they help his athletic success does not infer other players are clods or lazy clods..

January 8th, 2016 at 6:14 pm

@Gypsy Gal, then there are the not so subtle jabs that are constantly aimed at Djokovic by the likes of goofy Giles. Why is it thatr you get irritated when someone posts something positive about Novak? That doesn’t take away from Rafa’s luster you know.

January 8th, 2016 at 10:12 pm

Reagan was an actor, and he became the president. Safin, after hanging his boots, turned into a politician. With the amount of following Novak has, he can easily be elected the President of Serbia, should he desire so. I’m sure the languages will come in very handy assuming does have such ambitions. Even if he doesn’t, wouldn’t learning multiple languages make you understand different cultures and their peoples more ? . Since the world is a global village today, people who know multiple languages that span continents have a distinct advantage. In theory, it should help you become a better human being.

If somebody thinks of this as a “quest for love and attention”, then one can only assume they a brain the size of a pea.

January 8th, 2016 at 10:35 pm

TennisGuy@10.12pm January 8th, read my post again as i said pull players to pieces the operative word been PLAYERS as in more than one, i didnt actually say specifically Rafa,that been a generalisation towards all players,posters here know me better than that and know im fairer than that,as for Giles he has no time for me or my posts,as im apparantly not biased enough and dont think Nadals perfect either, and have defended Novak and Roger on many an occasion,hope you see this post….

January 9th, 2016 at 1:40 am

Patson – Djokovic has said he is not interested in politics at this point. May be coy, more likely honest – no interest.

But he already has used his position as a global sports star and his language versatility to advance Balkan diplomacy under diplomat passports given him for such trips. (He speaks the Croatian and Montenegrin dialects perfectly growing up in a house with a Montenegrin grad-dad and a Croatian Serb mom)
He has a UN role now, an honorary Ambassadorship with it that is congruent with his Foundation work, and open more doors to him. And he has asked leaders and CEOs he has met to look at Serbia as a place to do business and invest in as well as support his Foundation’s work.
Sometime down the road, if not a pol, he would be an excellent candidate to represent Serbia as an Ambassador to a major country.

January 9th, 2016 at 2:41 am

@Patson & @CF1,

I don’t your background, but last thing I would like to see Nole is to join politics in any way. It is true, if there is election and he decided to run for the office he would most likely win, but to see him joining politics, regardless which side or way, would be huge turn off for lot of his fans including myself, I know for sure he would lose me as a fan. His father made huge mistake publicly (even making a speach on their convention) backing the party that lost last election and Nole suffered too because of that since lot of people thought that his father Srdjan, that I respect very much, was representing Nole and speaking on his behalf too, in the other words, that particular political party tried to use Djokovic undisputed popularity in Serbia, thanks God it didn’t work, not that the party that won election is any better than them.
Nole can do much more for his people and country if he stays out of politics.

January 9th, 2016 at 3:19 am

^^should say “…I don’t know your background..”

January 9th, 2016 at 3:34 am

Patson, I also wanted to compliment your “read” of those that say wanting to learn a new language a bit is all part of “Yet another way he is seeking the love and attention he lacks” – which is largely a bogus meme pushed by Fedtards and writers in the Fedtard School Of Idol Worship And Sports Hack Journalism.

[If somebody thinks of this as a “quest for love and attention”, then one can only assume they a brain the size of a pea.]

For those bozos, it works great in all situations. Any time Djokovic wins, shows an improvement, does something nice or commendable even – we get the same tired “He’s desperate for love and attention, so anything good from him stems from him being unloved and doing anything to win approval, and he will never be adored like our Roger is!!”.
Anytime Djokovic loses, rare as that is, they say it will be because the crowd “doesn’t love him.”

It’s the sort of psychobabble you hear from confused freshman female psych major, womyns studies, communications major student. Who can explain all around her in terms of race, class and gender struggle and the psychological motives rooted in being a victim or of being a guilty part of the privileged Oppressor class.
.

January 9th, 2016 at 7:23 am

Chrisford1, I admire Nole a lot for his interrest in other cultures and languages. I wanted just to say, it is not ok to judge the others for not doing the same as Novak.
Rafa is not so good as Nole in English , but I like the logic and honnesty of his speaches.
And is a Scot and his English is natural, and it might be more difficult to understand him as Nole.

January 9th, 2016 at 8:51 am

Ah yes, Regan was an actor, indeed.

The greatest linguist of the tennis players is Mr. Federer….if you are born and bred in Switzerland it’s part of your upbringing…it’s humbling when a 5-year old ends up translating for you…you may take French/German/Italian/Patois at school but conversationally…..creep back into your shell. Seriously, Kudos to the Swiss on multiple language skills.

January 23rd, 2016 at 3:59 pm

JK,
You reckon he can speak Afrikaner? His mother is from SA, just depends if she is of Afrikaner or anglosaxon background?

January 23rd, 2016 at 4:12 pm

Just checked, yes, she is of Afrikaner backround so he could probably speak Afrikaner too. His mother parents are of Dutch and French hugenots backround.

January 23rd, 2016 at 4:21 pm

Yes, Wog Boy – I also lived in South Africa and it is not far removed from Dutch/Hugenots – actually a bit easier for those of us who are not multi-lingual
– there’s also Zulu and dozens other versions…the mind boggles. But I seriosuly thing the multi-national nature of Swiss major cities gave the impetus for what is really a national source of excellence.

January 23rd, 2016 at 6:32 pm

One of the things that i admire about nole is that he can master the several other languages like he was borne with it,his willingness and determination to learned it[i’m sure for the sake of his job more than anything]and mastered it..to me just to add to his greatness..at the same time i scratched my head,why rafa didn’t show the same desire as nole to master not only english but other important languages as well especially french and italian..he’s won FO 9th times already and he only speak a couple of line at the ceremony..he got tons of money to pay for the tutor and bring them on tour until he can mastered it and yet he didn’t do that..sorry for all rafa fan..i’m only curious not to belittling rafa..

March 3rd, 2016 at 8:38 pm