As Olga Danilovic looks back on her first title win on the ITF World Tennis Tour eight years ago, the significance of the moment in her tennis journey is evident in each and every word.

Making the transition from the junior ranks to the professional tour is always a huge step for any player, with rising Serbian hopeful Danilovic taking a big stride forward in her career by winning a $10,000 ITF event in Antalya, Turkey in November 2016. 

The Belgrade-born player was just 15 and competing in only her second professional tournament when she won that title and has gone on to enjoy a fine career on the WTA Tour that includes breaking into the WTA Top 100 last year and a run to the fourth round at this year's Roland Garros, where she took the scalp of a Top 10 player in Danielle Collins.

Yet this story started for Danilovic in Antalya eight years ago, with her memories of that breakthrough win still so vivid. 

"I remember I was so pumped when I won that first ITF title because I didn't have any ranking points at the start of that tournament," Danilovic said this week from this week's ITF W100 tournament in Barcelona.

"When you won, you got on the rankings list right away and I remember getting so many messages after the win saying congratulations. I was so happy to see my name on that list. It was such a great achievement for me to achieve it at such a young age. 

"From Juniors, you go to seniors and everything is so new, but that win gave me a different type of happiness. I remember my Mum was so happy as I was on the rankings list and it was the beginning of something very nice for me."

Making progress on the ITF World Tennis Tour is a vital stepping stone to a successful career and Danilovic has cherished memories of her early days winning matches and forming friendships that have lasted to this day.

"This ITF Tour is so important," continues Danilovic, who has been aided on her sporting journey by her father Predrag Sasa Danilovic, who enjoyed a successful professional sporting career as a basketball player.

"From a young age, you play in the Junior events and they are always very nice tournaments. You travel the world, you play great players from other countries and you gain so many friends when you are younger. 

"When you are older, we are all working so hard and sometimes you don't have so much time to make friends, but I have played my whole life with Anastasia Potapova (world No. 38). I have known her since I was 11 on the Junior ITF circuit. To this day, we still chat a lot. 

"It's very important to feel that it's not always a struggle on court and you can have friends."

"I won a lot of tough matches [this year] when I was always halfway to a defeat"

Danilovic reflects on her 2024 season with pride, with a run to the last-16 at Roland Garros inspiring her to believe next year could be even more profitable. 

"I would say it has been a very successful year," reflected the 23-year-old. "There is always room for improvement, but I won a lot of tough matches when I was always halfway to a defeat.

"The highlight was Roland Garros, for sure, and I hope the next one will be even better. Throughout my career, I have had very good wins against top players since I was very young. I always knew I could play against them, but you always need a little push to show you can do it. I had a very bitter, sweet feeling after the Madrid loss against (Collins) as it was 7-6 in the third. 

"So when I was playing against her again in less than a month in Paris, I knew what to expect and I believed more in myself. That win certainly gave me a lot of wind into my back."

Danilovic is part of a generation of Serbian tennis talent inspired by the remarkable achievements of Novak Djokovic and as she looks back on the impact Djokovic has had on her personal tennis story, Olga suggests his impact reaches well beyond Serbia. 

"Having Novak represent our country in the best way possible and taking care of every player there is on tour, especially Serbians, is massive"

"Having Novak represent our country in the best way possible and taking care of every player there is on tour, especially Serbians, is massive," she added. 

"He is always there for us and he always finds time for us. He is a very down-to-earth guy. Having him is such a blessing.

"I'm not sure we are entirely conscious of the kind of person we have in our country, but we have to appreciate him so much. As tennis players, we understand how tough it is to achieve what we have done, so he is a true blessing. 

"He is absolutely the greatest player of all time. Being Serbian and having his name as every record in No. 1, it's something we are all so proud of. He is going to leave a crazy legacy behind of being the greatest athlete in the world. He has that Serbian mentality." 

Serbian tennis has been changed forever by their greatest champion and those following in Djokovic's footsteps are daring to believe they can also reach for the stars.