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Why Novak Djokovic’s request for an Adelaide International wild card was denied in 2007

Originally posted on HITC | By Liam McMillen | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 5:00 PM ET

Novak Djokovic is one of the rare occurrences in tennis of a highly rated junior managing to live up to his potential in the professional game.

Djokovic was the number one ranked player in the world at under 16s level, which was one place above his future rival Andy Murray.

The star managed to navigate the difficulties many young tennis players suffer from by dominating the professional game, and winning 24 Grand Slams.

Djokovic was confident in his abilities as a youth, and as a 20-year-old, he asked a multi-time Grand Slam champion for a wild card at an Australian tennis tournament.

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Novak Djokovic was rejected for an Adelaide International wild card in 2007

In 2007, Djokovic had already made a name for himself by reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon two years prior.

His stature in the game was not strong enough to warrant entry into every tennis tournament, however, and he found himself rejected from the Adelaide International.

In an interview with Nine, multi-time Grand Slam champion Mark Woodforde said: “He introduced himself to both Peter Johnston and myself and said, ‘I’m happy to be here in Adelaide, and I was hoping that you might give me a wildcard’.

“Peter and I just looked at each other, we’d already given out our wildcards in the main draw. Novak said, ‘Because I’m going to become No.1 in the world one day and I think this would help give me a start’, and we just smiled and said, ‘Unfortunately, we don’t have space’.

“Dejan, who I’ve known for a number of years just said, ‘He really does believe he’s going to be No.1’ and we just had to apologise and say we had to reserve some of the wildcards at the time for the Australians.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t even get him into qualifying that year, but that’s the belief that Novak Djokovic had at a very early age, that he was going to achieve great things.

“I said, ‘We’ll try to get you into the qualifying at least’, and he said, ‘But I want to be in the main draw because I’m going to be No.1 in the world’.”

Djokovic will return to the Adelaide International this year, which will be his first appearance at the tournament since 2023.