It was a double coronation for the Djokovic family on Sunday as World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and his seven-year-old son Stefan Djokovic both won tennis tournaments.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion picked up his first title of the season at the 2022 Italian Open. Djokovic did not drop a set en route to the final, where he dispatched Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-0, 7-6 to end the longest trophyless start to his season since 2018.
But speaking to reporters after the match, he informed them that his son, Stefan, won a junior tournament at the club level on the same day, and it was fulfilling that he had a hand in his success, which he believes will stay with him while growing up.
"My son won the tournament today. A 'sunshine double' today. It's a very small club tournament. It was nice to see him playing. The first official tournament or match always stays in your memory very fondly. I really wanted him to enjoy it on the court."
"Obviously we had a chat about the routines and the things he should do. You have to speak in their language about things that I feel like it could help him."
Stefan has been accompanying his father to several tournaments during the ATP season, and he will certainly not find a sparring partner and mentor as inspiring as his father. But Djokovic, by his own admission, is not "forcing" him to become a tennis pro; he says it is up to his son's wishes and what he intends to pursue.
"I'm not forcing him to play tennis. I never did that. Not a single day have I told him you have to do this. It's really purely his own desire to step on the court."
"Of course, I'll be thrilled if he plays tennis. He shouldn't feel any of the pressure or expectations yet, even though he's going to because it's part of I guess his family."
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