In a heartfelt moment, Novak Djokovic expressed his deep gratitude and love for his family after the Wimbledon 2024 final. Although the Serb was no match to Carlos Alcaraz on the big occasion on Sunday on Centre Court, it is his family which has made him sane and the happiest.
“To my wife, I love you. To my wonderful children, thank you for bringing the smile to my face every single day. I’m so thankful to be a father of two little angels who love tennis,” Djokovic was quoted as saying in the post-match interview.
However, it was what he said about his 9-year-old Stefan, which was very interesting and endeared him not only to his family and team, but the crowd as well.
“I don’t know if I have the nerves to have a coaching career with my son; but if you really wish to pursue it, I’ll be there for you,” the former World No.1 added.
This statement is likely to spark speculations about Djokovic’s involvement in the sport going ahead. Never before has the 24-time Grand Slam champion spoken more clearly about wanting to be a coach at any level.
But if he has to coach his son in the future, that would be a serious commitment on the 7-time Wimbledon champion’s part. The loss to Alcaraz as well as spending more time with his family on Tour might have given Djokovic a reality check that he might start looking at retirement and life after it.
Djokovic is a doting father who makes time for his children and has already given his son significant exposure by bringing him along to major tournaments. In one of his recent interviews with Tennis Channel, the Serb revealed that it was his duty as a parent to make his son love sport and be active and healthy after discussing his responsibilities with wife, Jelena.
Earlier this year, Stefan Djokovic went viral for assisting his father in training for Wimbledon. The younger Djokovic was seen on the practice courts, rallying with his father and showcasing impressive skills for his age.
That moment not only captivated tennis fans but also highlighted the bond between Novak and Stefan, emphasizing the latter’s growing interest in tennis. This kind of exposure is invaluable, providing Stefan with unique insights and inspiration as he continues to develop his own game.
Djokovic’s Potential Future as a Coach
The idea of Novak Djokovic transitioning into a coaching role, especially for his son, is intriguing. Djokovic’s wealth of experience, strategic understanding of the game, and mental fortitude make him an ideal mentor.
His openness to the possibility, despite his reservations about the nerves that come along with the job, show that the day is set to come when Novak would be in the player’s box while Stefan would be battling it out on the court.
But one can expect the champion Serb to be a taskmaster of sorts because apparently Stefan is a huge Rafael Nadal fan. Stefan was seen imitating Nadal’s legendary forehand during one of the practice sessions at Wimbledon 2023.
Novak isn’t the biggest supporter of wanting Stefan to copy his rival’s forehand and later said that, his son was deliberately trying to annoy him playfully.
Another interesting aspect of it is that Djokovic has not been considered as the best student by his coaches such as Goran Ivanisevic because he has a mood of his own and prefers to follow his own instinct and gameplan on a lot of occasions.
While the legend’s dedication to fitness and practice as well as being a leader is unquestionable, will he understand if Stefan does the same to him? Time will tell, but the thought of Djokovic remaining in the sport even after his retirement in a big way, will sound like music to his huge fanbase across the world.
