In his early childhood, the world of professional tennis was a faraway place, visible only on the television screens of his parents’ pizzerias in the Serbian Alps or the humble family flats in Belgrade, where he lived with his parents.
His two young children, on the other hand, have a considerably more optimistic view.
In the days leading up to his rematch with Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic’s son Stefan, 7, and daughter Tara, 4, were on the front lines cheering him on from inside the ropes with friends, family members, and plush toys.
Following his victory against Medvedev in the finals, Djokovic hugged and kissed his children in the bleachers after winning the Paris Masters for the sixth time in a row, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. for.
‘It’s a really meaningful day for me,’ Djokovic added.
The first time my two children have gathered to see my match is this evening.
This is one of the rewards of achieving lasting sporting success, as well as one of the motivations: to let your memories of your ancestors to run free.
According to Djokovic, “it’s one of the most important reasons I play.” “I’ve always wished I could have my children in the stands.”
His long-time competitor and father of four children, Roger Federer, has gotten a kick out of the experience. Many notable sportsmen, from soccer’s Tom Brady to women’s soccer’s Christie Pearce, have done the same in an age when more superstars have discovered strategies to remain at the top for extended periods of time.
At 34, Djokovic is riding the same wave as the rest of the field, but he isn’t quite ready to take off just yet. He demonstrated this in Paris, when he recovered from a discouraging atmosphere that threatened to keep him dazed.
After failing to earn a medal at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in August, Djokovic was defeated in the final of the US Open by Dmitry Medvedev in straight sets, only one match away from achieving a Grand Slam. Rod Laver is the first person to have won all four major singles championships in the same year, and he is the last to do it. The Australian legend completed the Grand Slams twice in his career, in 1962 and 1969, and with the steady growth of Medvedev and the emergence of a new generation of men’s stars, it is hard to conceive that Djokovic has another chance to join Laver’s club.
However, with his performance in Paris, Djokovic reminded fans of his tenacity, brilliance, and ingenuity after seven weeks away from the tour.
It was a watershed moment in his career when he broke his tie with Pete Sampras and secured the year-end No. 1 rating for a record seventh consecutive year, solidifying his claim to be the finest men’s player of this golden age. As a result of winning his 37th Masters 1000 title, he also broke a tie with Rafael Nadal, and he became the first player since Andre Agassi in 1999 to win the French Open and Paris Masters in the same season.
In the quarterfinals on Saturday, Medvedev, the gangly Russian shock absorber, appeared unstoppable as he rolled a fatigued Alexander Zverev into the semifinals, scarcely committing an unforced mistake in the process. As a result of his semifinal third-set tiebreaker victory against Hubert Herkaz, Djokovic has been unable to maintain consistency both off the court and in his own serve game.
