Interesting opinion on motherhood and fatherhood in tennis. Speaking about Novak Djokovic’s resurgence, the former Swiss Davis Cup team captain Claudio Mezzadri stressed that finding balance with his family was the key for Djokovic.
He also mentioned Roger Federer’s unique and incredible example. ‘Everything needs to work,’ Mezzadri, a former top-30 ATP player, recognized speaking on Sky Sport. ‘Becoming a father makes mixes up everything.
You have to reassess balance. Then there is the nutrition. He was discussing with (Andre) Agassi and (Radek) Stepanek about it too. You can’t impose things to a phenomenon like Djokovic. You have to indulge him a little bit, speak to him, make him understand but not impose.
That’s why he split from them. I think he also lost time because his progress was stppped. And when he found everything again, with Marian Vajda back, the person that to give him right balance is perfect. It’s not by chance that he only improved.
One who is a father knows this, as does a mother. It changes your life. And travelling like a tennis player does is so tough. Federer is ridiculous about it, with four children, babysitters, teachers who update his children for school.
It’s an hell. It could be hell.’ Federer travels alone just with his team in events like Stuttgart, Halle, Shanghai, Paris, while he always brings his family in Melbourne, Indian Wells, Miami, Wimbledon, US Open, ATP Finals.
