When I decided to visit Belgrade, I was hoping to see where Novak practiced when he was a kid or go to his tennis center. His restaurant was not on my list and even after spending a couple of days in the city, I did not make any plans to visit the place. However one of the evenings, I had some free time and when I checked at my hostel, I was told that it is not far off. Thinking "what the heck - let's just go", I decided to make the pilgrimage, mainly to see his various trophies on display there.
I took the bus from the central bus station and asked the driver for a ticket. He informed me that one needs to buy the ticket before boarding the bus - a fact I didn't know. Fearing the worst that I would be asked to get down at the next stop, I asked him if there is any other option. In his limited English, he replied "Don't worry, OK". He allowed me to travel free and also, signaled to me when my stop came!
The restaurant is located in new part of the city, which is predominantly a residential area. It was not easy to find and it was only because I had the location stored in my offline maps, I was able to find the place. When I entered, there were only 3-4 tables which were occupied and I could pick my spot. I chose a table near the window, which also gave me a good view of the TV and the memorabilia.
After placing my initial order for starters and drinks, I took a tour of the place. There is a photo frame dedicated to every 100th win of his career.
There are photos showing his most important title victories and of course, there is the year end ATP No. 1 trophy !
There are plenty of items to admire, if you are a tennis or even a sports fan. I loved the various trophies on display, especially the Grand Slam trophies. As he has won the French Open only once, he has kept that trophy at home - I guess that is understandable (until he wins it again!).
The outdoor seating area was really cool -
The pillar of tennis balls was awesome - wish I had one at home !
Novak is a national hero and that is a good enough reason for many people to come to this restaurant. I liked the food even though there are not many options. The prices are a bit on the higher side but I wasn't complaining as I loved the ambience. One thing I liked was the vegan options (not a surprise as Djokovic is a vegan himself) and after a bit of deliberation between the veg steak or the noodles, I opted for the veg steak. The taste was really good even though the quantity was less.
I am a Federer fan and did not like Djokovic breaking RF's records, to begin with. Even though I was constantly surprised by Djoko for what he does on the tennis court, I did not appreciate his dominance and victories for a long time. Only when I started playing tennis and understood the kind of effort it takes to play the game, I realized what he has been doing over the years is nothing short of extraordinary. Unlike many Fed or Rafa fans, I like him a lot and admire his contribution to the sport. We are really privileged to see the top 3 playing together in the same era. To succeed in the Fedal era is not at all easy and he has edged himself into contention of being the greatest ever to play the game, especially if he ends up as the player with the most Grand Slam trophies.
All in all, it was a lovely evening. If you are a tennis fan and visit Belgrade, it is a must visit. I could not resist sending Novak a cheesy tweet after my visit -
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