"She's more into reading about unicorns" - Novak Djokovic opens up on daughter Tara and son Stefan's perception of his stardom
Novak Djokovic believes his daughter, Tara, may not understand the full extent of his achievements yet. According to the Serb, his son, Stefan, grasps the magnitude of his stardom better, given his age.
Djokovic is currently in Paris for the 2024 Olympics. This edition marks his fifth appearance at the event, where he is chasing an elusive gold medal. Ahead of competition, the 24-time Grand Slam champion attended the ‘Prelude to the Olympics’ party in the French capital with his wife, Jelena.
Novak Djokovic, who also recently hosted a cocktail party in Paris, with the likes of Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour in attendance, was a popular figure at the event. The Serb was captured interacting with several global stars, including Zendaya, Serena Williams, and Spike Lee, among others.
When asked about how his children perceive his greatness, Djokovic told People:
"I think my son, he’s almost 10. He probably gets it more."
The Serb’s son, Stefan, has taken a liking to tennis. He often accompanies his father to tournaments around the world and participates in practice sessions.
Novak Djokovic also hilariously commented on his daughter Tara’s contrasting approach to the sport. Highlighting the six-year-old’s seeming disinterest, he joked she prefers reading books about unicorns instead.
"Daughter, Tara, she’s six. And she’s more into reading books about unicorns and I love that," he said, smiling.
Tara stole the limelight at this year’s Wimbledon, attending his matches for the first time at the tournament. The six-year-old, however, seemed unimpressed by her father’s exceptional display and indulged in a book instead. Nonetheless, her presence delighted Novak Djokovic. The 37-year-old also dedicated his post-match violin celebrations to her, disclosing that she recently started playing the instrument.
"She comes and she supports when she’s really involved or when it's capturing her attention. But, you know, she’s a (young) girl; she likes to look around and notice different things. So she probably doesn’t yet understand what it means to play a tennis match, but it’s very cute. And of course, it means a lot to me to see them in the stands," he said.
Novak Djokovic on his son Stefan and daughter Tara: "I am so thankful to be the father of these two little angels"
Novak Djokovic has had a turbulent campaign this season and has yet to win a title. He came close to lifting his first trophy of 2024 at the recent Wimbledon Championships. The Serb ultimately came up short against Carlos Alcaraz in the final for the second year running.
Despite the straight-sets defeat, though, Djokovic remained upbeat, accepting his rather subpar performance. It is worth noting that he reached the title clash just a month after his knee surgery.
With his children in attendance, the veteran shared an emotional message in his post-match interview.
"My wonderful children, Tara and Stefan, thank you for bringing a smile to my face every single day. God, I keep on tearing up every single year when I look at them on the closing ceremony."
He also addressed his son’s growing fondness for tennis, hilariously pondering over his transition from competing to coaching.
"I am so thankful to be the father of these two little angels that… love tennis! They’ve actually started to love tennis more and more," he said.
"I don’t know if I have the nerves to keep on going with the coaching career with my son. There are a lot of beautiful things in life, my son, tennis is not the only thing. But if you really wish to pursue it, I’ll be there for you," he added.
At the upcoming Paris Olympics, Novak Djokovic is bidding for the gold medal in singles. The Serb, a bronze medalist at Beijing 2008, is the top seed after World No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal. He’s set to face Australia’s Matthew Ebden in the opening round, with a potential clash against arch-rival Rafael Nadal in the second round.