Novak Djokovic opens up on why he turned down lucrative sponsorship deals - "I cannot represent something that I don't believe in"

Having established himself as one of the most marketable tennis players in recent history, Novak Djokovic recently revealed he had refused to work with several sponsors during his career due to conflicting beliefs.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion is one of the wealthiest tennis players in the current era, having amassed a fortune of over £180million. The majority of his income has come from his on-court earnings, totaling about £135m. However, the Serbian is involved in several off-court ventures, as he has sponsorship deals with Adidas, Uniqlo, Mercedes and Lacoste amongst others.

Despite being one of the most successful and wealthy tennis players on the planet, the former World No.1 could have made a lot more. However, Djokovic revealed he opted to not do business with some sponsors that do not line up with his values.

"I’ve personally refused to involve myself in a lot of different businesses and represent different products in the last two decades," said the 37-year old in an interview with Business Traveller. "Mainly because I cannot represent something that I don’t believe in, that is not in line with me and my values. Wellness and well-being are the biggest passions of mine, next to tennis and sports and education."

Djokovic's strong beliefs have led to him earning ambassadorial roles with various businesses, with the latest being as a global wellness advisor for Qatar Airways and luxury hotel chain Aman Resorts.

"For me, it was very clear from the beginning that I want to collaborate with brands like Aman, where the quality in every aspect is not compromised," added the Serbian.