Slobodan Živojinović
A towering Serbian tennis star who became the first from his nation to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, paving the way for future champions.
Born 1963 (age 63)·Serbian tennis player·Birthday: July 23·Baby Boomers
Biography
Slobodan 'Boba' Živojinović emerged from Belgrade to become a force in 1980s tennis, his 6'6" frame delivering a thunderous serve that rattled opponents. His career was a testament to power and perseverance, peaking in 1985 when he stormed into the Wimbledon semifinals, a historic first for a Yugoslav player. That same year, he propelled the Yugoslav Davis Cup team to its first final, cementing his status as a national sports hero. While a major singles title eluded him, his doubles prowess was undeniable, capturing the 1986 French Open men's doubles crown. Živojinović's success on the international stage broke barriers for athletes from his region, inspiring a generation that would later produce world number ones.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Slobodan was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Slobodan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Slobodan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Reached the Wimbledon men's singles semifinals in 1985, a first for a Yugoslav player.
- Helped lead Yugoslavia to its first Davis Cup final appearance in 1985.
- Won the 1986 French Open men's doubles title alongside partner Andrés Gómez.
- Achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 19 in 1987.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Boba' is a common Serbian diminutive for Slobodan.
He is the godfather to Novak Djokovic, whom he helped mentor early in the Serbian star's career.
After retiring, he served as the president of the Tennis Federation of Serbia.
He was known for his exceptionally fast serve, consistently clocked among the fastest of his era.
“My serve was my weapon; it could open the court in one shot.”
