No. 1 men's tennis player Novak Djokovic took care of Roger Federer at Wimbledon on Sunday in four sets, but rather than credit himself or his talent, he spotlighted his wife Jelena, and the new responsibility of fatherhood.
"Whether I'm winning or losing, she's always there," Djokovic said. "Family's always there. When I go back home, I'm not a tennis player anymore, I'm a father and a husband. That's a kind of balance that I think allows me to play this well.
"Ever since I got married and became a father, I haven't lost many matches, I won many tournaments. I suggest that to every player: get married, have kids, let's enjoy this."
Federer, considered by some to be the greatest player of all-time, commented post-match on Djokovic's rise up the all-time rankings.
"Staying injury-free now for him is crucial. Clearly, he's going to be one of the top guys. Where, we'll still have to wait and see. I'm sure he still has many more great years ahead of him."
Djokovic's win came on the 30th anniversary of his coach Boris Becker's first Wimbledon triumph, which came when he was just 17 years old.
"We shared very joyful and positive, happy moments in the locker room after the match, where we hugged," Djokovic said. "In the tough times, Boris was there, as was the entire team. They were encouraging me to keep going, supporting me. That's a unity that keeps us together and allows us to experience these beautiful moments."
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