Novak Djokovic has admitted that having his family in Australia will be key if he wants to win another Australian Open title in Melbourne.
After a fairly average Grand Slam season in 2024, Novak Djokovic is hoping to rejuvenate his form in 2025 and challenger Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for titles.
That bid starts at the Australian Open where Djokovic is seeking a tenth title in Melbourne and a 25th overall.
However Djokovic cannot do it on his own as his wife Jelena and his two kids Tara and Stefan are also in Melbourne.
It’s the first time that all four of them are in Australia and Djokovic has explained how much that means to him, “This is the first time my family comes with me, my children, my wife [to Australia],” Djokovic explained to the ATP website.
“If I have a match day, I’m spending time getting ready for that match. She has to take care of the kids. She’s here supporting me, trying to give me that love and energy, along with kids, that I need to play my best tennis.
“So far it’s working very well. I’m feeling great on the court. I’m playing great. It allows me to not feel the guilt that I’m so far away for such a long time…This makes it so much easier for me, going back home knowing they’re going to be there waiting for me.
“I’m more motivated. I am also more calm, more serene. I spend great quality time with them. It allows me to also not think about tennis 24/7, to have time where I can just release the tension and be really involved in their time.”
A more motivated Djokovic is dangerous for the rest of the field as was proven at the Olympics where he claimed his first ever gold medal.
Now the Serb searches for more history as the burden is now off his shoulders and can play with freedom.
However his kids are not just there to watch there daddy as they also play an important role in the Serb’s celebrations, “My children told me to have two different kinds of celebrations,” Djokovic stated.
“My daughter told me to keep going with the violin if I win. My son told me to play the saxophone, so I try and incorporate both.”
Djokovic will next face Reilly Opelka in the quarter-finals of Brisbane and then to the Australian Open, which starts on the 12th of January.
