Novak Djokovic admits tennis no longer comes before family

The 39-year-old Serbian has acknowledged that he can no longer devote himself entirely to the sport, with rest, recovery and responsibilities away from competition now playing a bigger role in his preparations.

Djokovic also revealed that he had previously underestimated the sacrifices his family made to support his career and has recently spent more time with relatives across Europe.

"I like that because I need to get out of that kind of role as well and be able to... I talk a little bit about that in the documentary, so you'll see a little bit about that as well," the 24-time Grand Slam champion said.

"I'm trying to balance the roles of a professional tennis player and a father and a husband, son and brother. I'm trying to be the best I can be in all these different roles. It takes time and energy. It's a work in progress."

He added: "It's something that I kind of underestimated of how big of a support and sacrifice was from all the family members around me. In order for them to allow me to create space for 20 plus years to do my thing."

That change in perspective comes as the world No. 5 returns to action at the Cincinnati Open, his first competitive appearance since Wimbledon. He reached the All England Club semi-finals before losing to Jannik Sinner and now views Cincinnati as an opportunity to regain his match sharpness ahead of the US Open.

Djokovic has played just two Masters 1000 events this year, alongside the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon. He has a 14-5 record without a title in 2026.

A three-time Cincinnati champion, Djokovic last lifted the trophy in 2023 after a gruelling final against Carlos Alcaraz. 

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