Novak Djokovic inflicting ‘hypothesis’ with unconventional Miami Open withdrawal

“He spoke about it a lot in Australia that he misses them when he’s away, that it’s a huge sacrifice for him not to be there and he wants them to see him play tennis for sure but equally, the moments at home are just as important to him. And he’s won everything so do you need to win another Miami, do you need to even play that week if you’re not feeling 100 per cent about it? No.”

Discussing the way forward for his profession in January, Djokovic shared the struggles of being away from his household for lengthy durations of time. “Right now I have the motivation, I have the support of the close ones, which is also something that is probably underestimated and not maybe talked about a lot, but it’s a key, especially as a father,” the 98-time profession title winner stated.

“Being absent from the children is not something that makes me very happy. It’s a balancing act between me and my wife and the close people in my life. So her being there for our children and everything, it allows me to be able to do what I love and still make some strides, significant strides, in this sport.”