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: I’ve received many messages and letters from lower-ranked players
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic says lower-ranked players have been thanking him a lot for his initiative to help them. Djokovic, 32, proposed that top-100 players each donate from 5,000-30,000 to player relief fund. The money gathered then would be distributed to the players most affected by the Tour suspension.
“I have received many messages and letters of gratitude from those [lower ranked] players. I am privileged to have the position I have. There have been many conversations with ATP about this problem,” the Serb said during his Instagram Live with Fabio Fognini.
The ATP suspended the Tour initially for six weeks on March 12. The ATP then extended the suspension through to June 7, before the decision was made to further extend the suspension to July 13.
Ever since the Tour got suspended, players have been urging the key stakeholders of tennis to find a way to help lower-ranked players. Djokovic, a 17-time Grand Slam champion, took it on himself and came out with a clear plan how to help lower-ranked players during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.
