"Happy & sad because my tennis doesn't make her excited": Novak Djokovic conflicted after daughter Tara entertains herself with a book in Wimbledon 3R
Novak Djokovic has shed light on his mixed emotions about his daughter Tara entertaining herself with a book during his third-round clash at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. The Serb also opened up about the special significance of having both his children present for his campaign at the grasscourt Major.
Djokovic advanced to the semifinals at SW19 without even stepping on the court for his quarterfinal match, as Alex de Minaur announced his withdrawal just hours before their highly anticipated clash due to a hip injury. The walkover has allowed the 37-year-old to take a significant stride forward in his quest to match Roger Federer's record of eight Wimbledon titles.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has been enjoying the support of his wife Jelena and their two children during his campaign. His children stole the spotlight during his third-round win over Alexei Popyrin, as his son Stefan playfully imitated his overhead smash, while his daughter Tara simply enjoyed her book on unicorns during the riveting encounter.
Making an appearance on the Tennis Channel after De Minaur's withdrawal, Novak Djokovic admitted that while he was happy to see his daughter enjoying herself, he was saddened by the knowledge that his tennis wasn't enough to keep her interested.
"I was very happy when I saw that and sad at the same time because my tennis doesn't make her excited so much so that she needs to grab a book to entertain herself," he said.
Nevertheless, the Serb expressed his delight at having his children by his side during his campaign, cherishing the opportunity to share the court with them after his match was canceled.
"No, but it's incredible to have them with me and to see them grow and get them to be part of this journey and have them at the age where they can understand what's going on. My son is nine, my daughter is six and they were were both actually playing tennis with me today on the court and it was a joy," he said.
Despite Tara's seeming lack of interest in her father's matches, she is the reason behind Djokovic's special new violin celebration. Following his win over Popyrin, the World No. 2 revealed that he adopted the gesture as a tribute to his daughter, who recently started learning the violin.
"That was for Tara. My [daughter] has been playing violin for some time already, six months, and we agreed that I would celebrate that way," he said in his post-match press conference.
"My heart is filled with love when I see them" - Novak Djokovic on son Stefan and daughter Tara's presence giving him 'balance' amid Wimbledon campaign
Novak Djokovic went on to say that his son Stefan and daughter Tara's presence during the 2024 Wimbledon Championships has made his campaign much more enjoyable off the court.
The World No. 2 also emphasized that their company provides him with much-needed balance amid the stress of recovery, training and preparation for the next match.
"My heart is obviously filled with love when I see them and it also allows me to enjoy myself off the court a bit more. Because when you're getting to latter stages of a Grand Slam, the tension, the pressure, the stress is growing," Djokovic said in the same Tennis Channel interview.
"So, everything is about recovery or training or getting ready for the next match, the next challenge and you feel the tension rising, the whole team around you, so having them here just gives me a great balance," he added.
Djokovic will continue his hunt for his 25th Grand Slam title against Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals of the grasscourt Major. Musetti claimed a hard-fought 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 win over Taylor Fritz to book his place against the second seed.