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WATCH NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S SON STEFAN HIT AN AMAZING BACKHAND WINNER AGAINST GORAN IVANISEVIC
WATCH NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S SON STEFAN HIT AN AMAZING BACKHAND WINNER AGAINST GORAN IVANISEVIC.
The eight-year-old young son of the 21-time Grand Slam champion has been courtside for his father’s matches in Turin and it seems he has also inherited some of the family’s tennis talents.
Stefan is still at a formative stage of his tennis development, but he has been showing some great promise as he has been hitting on the practice courts at the ATP Finals.
Sharing a court with 1992 Wimbledon champion and his father’s coach Goran Ivanisevic, Stefan showed his tennis skills are developing rapidly, with former British No 1 Tim Henman impressed by the youngster’s promise.
“You can see there are some pretty good genes out there,” declared Henman on Amazon Prime, as he stood courtside watching Stefan.
“The way he has been hitting forehands and backhands has been impressive, even though the racket he is using is half the size of him.
“The most important thing at this stage is how much he is enjoying it. He’s chasing down every ball and getting a nice cheer from the crowd as well. It looks like he is loving it.
“Novak might be struggling to get on the court as his son won’t want to leave!
“It looks like he has been playing for a few years and he has a good repertoire of shots. Trying the one handed-slice at his age is not easy as you need a bit of extra strength, but I’m sure that will come.”
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WATCH NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S SON STEFAN HIT AN AMAZING BACKHAND WINNER AGAINST GORAN IVANISEVIC
The former world No 1 spoke about his son’s passion for tennis and revealed he is excited to be around a tournament featuring some of the game’s biggest stars.
“My son is playing tennis, he’s eight years old now and he’s aware of what is happening, who is who,” said Djokovic.
“He just loves going around, getting signatures, playing some tennis, assisting Goran with the ball picking, then coaching on the warmup sessions and training sessions when I’m on the court.
“He loves to be around and for him, this is a unique experience and for my daughter, of course, and for me. I am really grateful to have them around.”
Djokovic went on to suggest the presence of his two children in Turin has inspired him to reach new heights on the court.
After a challenging year that saw him banned from several high-profile events due to his Covid vaccine status, the Serbian has confirmed he is in a good place with a strong family supporting him.
Djokovic’s son and daughter watched on with enthusiasm as Novak beat Andrey Rublev on Wednesday and he confirmed they were great cheerleaders.
“I think it is probably the first match that both my daughter and son, and of course my wife, have watched the entire match from the first to the last minute,” Djokovic said.
“We played for just over an hour. It is so great to have them.
“For me, that is one of the biggest motivational factors that I have right now competing at the highest level. Having them courtside, watching and celebrating, hopefully with me.
“Making history in this sport is always a big motivational factor for me.
WATCH NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S SON STEFAN HIT AN AMAZING BACKHAND WINNER AGAINST GORAN IVANISEVIC
“It doesn’t maybe necessarily affect the whole approach to the specific match because I’m experienced enough and I know myself well and what I need to do in order to prepare for my next challenge and next opponent.
“But, of course, I’m aware of the possibility to make history again. It is a great pleasure and honour to be in that position. So it does motivate me and inspire me to play even better tennis.”
Djokovic was given a huge boost earlier this week when it was confirmed he will be allowed to compete in January’s Australian Open.
The nine-time Australian Open champion expressed his relief at having his visa ban overturned which will allow him to compete in next year’s Australian Open.
The 35-year-old was detained and then deported from Australia last January in a dramatic process after trying to enter the country without having a Covid-19 vaccination.
He was subsequently given a three-year visa ban, but the Australian government has since overturned that decision, freeing him up for a return to Melbourne Park in early 2023.
“I was very happy to receive the news,” added Djokovic. “It was a relief obviously knowing what I and the people closest to me in my life have been through this year with what happened in Australia and post-Australia.
“I could not receive better news for sure – during this tournament as well.
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“Did it affect my game today? I would like to believe it did. Why not? I don’t think it did affect me too much because I’m familiar with what I need to do in order to prepare myself for every match.
Originally appeared on Tennis 365
“Of course, knowing that I have clarity now, what I do in the off-season, starting the season in Australia, also of course it did relieve some of the pressure me and my team felt. Just giving that clarity makes it great for us.
“Australian Open has been my most successful Grand Slam. I made some of the best memories there. Of course, I want to go back there, I want to play tennis, do what I do best, hopefully have a great Australian summer.
“I’m always thankful to go through experiences, no matter what the experiences are. I try to be optimistic and positive in life. I look forward to starting the new year in Australia, and we’ll see how the next year goes.”
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Ferrari warned Lewis Hamilton will cause internal drama
A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
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Listen to Chase Elliott, No. 9 team react to pace car crash at Phoenix in 2024
Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Exposes NASCAR’s Hidden Truth: The Pressure Turns Champions Miserable
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
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