Number one in the world is Novak Djokovic. He has won seven Grand Slam championships, including Wimbledon this year. With almost $65 million in career earnings, he is well-positioned to make a significant profit at the U.S. Open this year.
However, this is also a challenging moment for Djokovic’s career. After proposing to Jelena Ristic in September of last year, Djokovic wed her in July. Ristic was carrying a child when they got married, and she is still pregnant. However, Ristic, who began dating him in 2005, anticipates giving birth any moment now.
Djokovic’s schedule could not work for the baby. With over a week remaining in the competition, Djokovic has advanced to four consecutive Flushing Meadows finals, including his 2011 victory.
With a wife and a baby on the way, Djokovic disclosed earlier this week that his life is changing. Following his triumph over Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu in the second round, Djokovic engaged in the following somewhat serious and somewhat humorous conversation with a reporter:
Q. You mentioned the other day that having a family causes your priorities to change. Right now, your campaign is a Grand Slam. Discuss the experience of attempting to maybe refocus attention on the task at hand for at least a week or two.
DJOKOVIC: Okay, I’m concentrating there. I’m not sure how folks actually understood what I said, but I don’t believe there is a problem. In fact, I believe it would be extremely inappropriate if I played tennis in front of my wife and child. In my opinion, there is no doubt about that. You know, even while my family receives my entire focus, devotion, and energy when necessary, that doesn’t imply I won’t play tournaments or carry on with my current activities. Of course, I’m making every effort to adhere to the same daily schedule that I and my staff have followed for a long time. And it functions admirably. Naturally, I want to excel at this. I have a lot of support from my family, my wife, and my staff. Everybody is on the same page. Nothing major will alter in the near future. Of course, a baby comes along, and now that I’m married—you would understand if you were married.
