Novak Djokovic reached the US Open final Friday and marked the occasion by announcing he will be the subject of a documentary series about his life.
The world number one, and the only man to win more than $100 million in prize money, agreed to allow the cameras to follow him on and off court.
The series, which has the working title of “Novak”, will be aired on Amazon Prime in the United States, United Kingdom, Austria and Japan in 2017.
“My fans have been suffering and celebrating with me from the very beginning of my career on the tennis courts,” Djokovic, in a statement released by the ATP, said.
“Now I want to share with them all my daily life and what’s important to me my values, my beliefs, and my habits and also introduce to them all the amazing people that are always next to me.”
Djokovic deciphers Monfils, faces Wawrinka in US Open final
Djokovic’s strange US Open path took another odd turn Friday as the defending champion defied stultifying humidity and the controversial tactics of Gael Monfils to book a title showdown with Stan Wawrinka.
World number one and defending champion Djokovic prevailed 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in a bizarre semi-final that saw 10th-seeded Monfils roundly booed and accused of not trying.
Third-seeded Wawrinka withstood an early onslaught from sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan, asserting himself in the later stages to claim a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory.
Although Djokovic holds a 19-4 record over Wawrinka, including two victories since the Swiss player shocked him the French Open final last year, Wawrinka welcomed the chance to take him on again.
“To play Novak again it will be very special,” he said.
Djokovic admitted he was “completely caught off guard” when Monfils, down 0-5 in the first in 15 minutes, stood lackadaisically in the court and began chipping the ball back.
The strategy paid off as Monfils reeled off three games in a row.
“If I would get to the net he would go for the passing shot and hit some impossible gets and balls. But that’s Gael,” Djokovic said.
It was Djokovic who emerged with the set, however, and as the Serbian star raced through the second Monfils’s interest again appeared to wane.
By the sixth game the 30-year-old had won just nine points, which he managed to nudge into double figures by the end of it.
Monfils, playing in only his second Grand Slam semi-final after making the last-four at the 2008 French Open, theatrically hobbled off the court and was jeered.
He was booed again by sections of the 20,000-strong crowd as he dropped the first game of the third set. Monfils said his tactics were a deliberate attempt “to get inside his head”.
A more orthodox approach saw Monfils break back for 2-2 and again for 4-2 in a third set that saw Djokovic receive treatment on his left shoulder.
Although Djokovic saved one set point, and gave himself three break chances in the ninth game, Monfils was able to extend the match, marking the moment with a mighty roar to which Djokovic responded by ripping off his shirt.
“I think I should not have allowed him to come back to the match after two sets to love up and 2-love in the third,” Djokovic said.
“He started believing in himself. I think the crowd disliked his efforts towards the end of the second set. I think he felt like he needs to step it up and start to play better, which he did.”
After giving back an early break in the fourth Djokovic had treatment on his right shoulder, but he broke twice more to close out the win.
