For Novak Djokovic, finding a balance on a familiar level is the key. The Serbian player is a father of two children – daughter Tara who just turned one and son Stefan who will turn four in October – and got married to longtime girlfriend Jelena in 2014.
Commenting on the importance of his wife, in an interview to ESPN Djokovic said: ‘She likes to go in depth and analyze everything in detail. She likes to write in her journals and makes me do the same. We had many profound conversations that revealed a lot to both of us, and about me specifically.
She helped me to identify the emotions and feelings of everything that is going on and understand the big picture. [She] inspires other athletes that it’s possible to do both. … Actually we were texting and speaking just before she went into labor, and she was so friendly and so kind and so loving to share what she’s going through with us.
And I felt that we connected on a deeper level.’ But as we said, children are extremely important as well for Novak. ‘When I was not doing well in tennis, part of me didn’t like that, but I was still very happy because I had many things in my life that were making me fulfilled.
There is so much that we can learn from children, it’s quite incredible. My wife and I, we call both our children our little masters. Because they are just able to be so present and fully engaged in the moment, and then they are able to move on from something that has happened.
Novak Djokovic plays tennis with frying pans during coronavirus lockdown
Novak Djokovic’s competitive drive has not been dampened by the coronavirus lockdown.
With all tennis being put on hold during the global pandemic, Djokovic has been forced to swap out the clay season a shinier – marble? – floor inside his house.
Trade in two tennis racquets for frying pans, recruit brother Marko and you’ve got yourself a neat little set up complete with extravagant golden chair-and-cushion net.
The world no.1 was on typical form but his brother, four years his junior and ranked 450 in the world, was a willing rival in an impressive 20-stroke rally.
Complete with a few trick shots through the legs, the brothers went pan to pan until Marko was unable to lift ball over cushion on the angle and Novak celebrated by collapsing to the floor, spread-eagled, in trademark style.
We wait for the rematch with bated breath. How about a live stream option next time?
