Djokovic became the first Serbian man to win what type of title in 2008?

In 2008, Djokovic became the first Serbian man to win a major singles title. He achieved the milestone by winning the Australian Open, defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic entered the tournament as the third seed and reached the final without losing a set. His semifinal victory over defending champion Roger Federer was particularly important: it ended Federer’s run of ten consecutive Grand Slam finals and opened the way for a new champion.

The final against Tsonga was Djokovic’s first Grand Slam championship match. Although Tsonga won the opening set, Djokovic recovered to win in four sets, securing the first major of what became one of the most decorated careers in tennis history.

The wording “major singles title” matters. A major, or Grand Slam, means one of the four most important tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon or US Open. Djokovic had already won Masters-level and other ATP titles, but the Australian Open was his first major. Serbian women’s tennis achieved its own first major singles title later in 2008, when Ana Ivanovic won the French Open.