Novak Djokovic on Sleep, Wellness, and Living Longer

Elle

23-05-2025

At Amanruya, Novak Djokovic doesn't so much arrive as he appears. Sun-kissed, sinewy, and swathed in serene energy, he moves through the property not like a man checking into a wellness retreat, but like someone who's just emerged from one: spiritually exfoliated, energetically alkaline, and positively glowing.
And he has every right to be. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, spiritual seeker, father, and Aman global wellness ambassador is now playing his most elegant long game yet: redefining what high-performance living actually looks like. (Spoiler alert: it involves frankincense, tree hugging, and a sea-facing massage.)
'There's something about Aman,' Djokovic tells me, his voice low and even, a kind of vocal yoga. 'You arrive and your nervous system just…lets go. I've been to so many places, but there's an energy to this one that feels sacred.'
We're huddled under a pergola in his suite sitting across from one another as the Aegean Sea shimmers in the distance and cedar trees sway in the breeze. It's a scene so idyllic, so tonally Aman, that if he offered me a pressed juice and asked me to recite my intentions, I might just do it.
When I ask how clothing plays into his rhythm—on and off the court—Djokovic leans in, half amused, half philosophical. 'I do think about it,' he says. 'When you're in the public eye—in front of cameras, representing your sponsors, your team, your country—there's an unspoken language in how you show up. I feel most myself in sporting gear or smart casual. Clean. Comfortable. No distractions.'
And scent? If his tennis game were a perfume, I ask, what would it smell like?
He smiles. 'Frankincense on a good day. Cinnamon bark if it's aggressive.' Sometimes citrus. Sometimes lavender. The man is a walking apothecary of intention. 'It depends on how I want to feel,' he adds. 'The oils help me shift energy.'
A bespoke Djokovic essential oil blend is, let it be said—a billion-dollar idea waiting to happen.
Novak's commitment to wellness goes far beyond the spa. It's in his breathwork, his books (he recently reread Letting Go and dipped into his wife Jelena's soon-to-be-released memoir), and his cheeky confession that yes—he hugs trees. 'My family thinks I'm crazy,' he laughs. 'But there's real science in the grounding. Nature is the ultimate healer.'
He swims in the sea to recover. He prays. He rises with the sun. And when asked what's on his 'wellness playlist,' he doesn't mention music—instead, he cites a sauna, a Regenesis pod, and a hydration chamber. Somewhere in Los Angeles, Gwyneth Paltrow is taking notes.
If Aman is synonymous with stillness, then Novak is its most elegant disruptor—bringing movement into the equation, with a new kind of grace. His collaboration with Aman Essentials—including the recent Tennis Club concept—surprised even him. 'When I first heard Aman was entering the tennis world, I was curious,' he admits. 'But it makes perfect sense. It's not about fashion. It's about feeling good in your body and living with intention.'
Their shared value? Self-respect. Not in the form of ego, but care—how you feed yourself, how you move, and how you rest. 'Aman understands this,' he says. 'It's not just about luxury. It's about harmony.'
As we talk about his upcoming Aman retreat, I ask him to describe his ideal day of self-care. No cameras. No rankings. Just sunrise to moonlight, on his terms.
He begins, of course, with sleep. 'A good night's sleep is everything.' Then: hydration, prayer, breathwork. Movement. Nature. A beach swim or a mountain hike—'[it] depends on the season.' Family time. A proper sauna-steam-ice-massage circuit. And a sunset dinner with relaxing music and 'good, clean food.' The vibe? Warm and restorative.
'People think wellness is complicated,' he says, sinking deeper into his seat. 'But it's really about remembering who you are—and returning to that. Again and again.'
Novak Djokovic, ladies and gentlemen: tennis legend, tree whisperer, and—dare we say it—our new favorite wellness guru.