Novak Djokovic admits his daughter Tara is "not very happy" about him missing her upcoming birthday, but remains hopeful that he can complete a triumphant US Open run this week and be forgiven by his little girl.
On Sunday, Djokovic routed Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 6-3 6-2 to safely progress into the US Open quarterfinal. On Tuesday, the seventh-seeded Serbian will return to action to take on home player Taylor Fritz for a spot in the semifinal at Flushing Meadows. On the same day, his daughter Tara will celebrate her eighth birthday back home.
After beating Struff, a reporter asked Djokovic if his daughter Tara had expressed any feelings about him not being present during her special day. And the 38-year-old admitted she wasn't happy.
Djokovic: Tara is not very happy about it…
“It is what it is. We predicted that might happen. She was not very happy about it, me being absent from the birthday party. So don't remind me of that, please. But I'll try to win. But hopefully the win can be something she can be happy with. But again, yeah, daddy away. And daddy present is a big difference, and I know that. But it is what it is this year," the record 24-time Grand Slam champion admitted.
After losing to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon quarterfinal, Djokovic didn't play any tournaments for a month and a half. After arriving in New York for the US Open, the Serbian tennis giant admitted that wanting to spend more time with his family also contributed to his decision to skip the Masters tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati.
Last year, Djokovic only appeared at the Shanghai Masters and took part in the Six Kings Slam after the US Open. Considering that the former world No. 11 is only playing his 11th tournament of the year at the US Open, all the chances are that we won't see him much after the final Grand Slam of the year concludes.
