Another day, another history-etching win for Novak Djokovic. The 2025 US Open has been unfolding exactly as one would expect for the Serbian superstar, as he cruised to an emphatic 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jan-Lennard Struff in the men’s singles Round of 16 to advance to the next stage of the competition. While playing in the quarterfinals is no less than a glowing achievement for the 24-time Grand Slam champion, few realize that it comes at a significant personal cost.

Unfortunately, the date of his next tennis match coincides with his daughter Tara’s special day. And, Djokovic will have to miss Tara’s birthday when he takes on No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinal.

Being reminded of this predicament by one of the reporters was exactly how Novak’s post-game presser began, and the 38-year-old really had no choice but to accept the situation he already knew might turn up. “It is what it is,” began Djokovic. “We predicted that might happen. She was not very happy about it, me being absent from the birthday party. So, don’t remind me of that, please.”

The thought of missing his daughter’s birthday is sad and unsettling enough for Djokovic. But the Belgrade native knows exactly what kind of gift he has to give his beloved daughter, who turns nine this coming Thursday.

“At least I’m going to try to win and give her that kind of present, as I’m going to send some nice presents for her birthday party. Hopefully, the win can be something she can be happy with. But again, yeah, daddy away and daddy present is a big difference. And I know that I, but it is what it is this year,” concluded the record 428 week-ranked star.

Interesting way to make it up, right? Well, with this equation, today’s game is no less than a pre-birthday gift for Tara. Despite battling nagging injury concerns, Novak Djokovic delivered a commanding performance against Jan-Lennard Struff. Clearly troubled by neck discomfort throughout the match, the Serbian icon still powered his way into a record 64th Grand Slam quarterfinal.

To top it off, he wrapped up the victory in straight sets in under two hours. If that was the case for him in this match, one can only wonder what Djokovic has planned for the quarterfinal, which carries the added weight of delivering a win as a birthday present for his daughter. Still, we can’t help but reckon that Tara might not appreciate the gift, regardless of the result or the sacrifices her dad makes!

Novak Djokovic misses his family more than one could think of!

Belgrade, Serbia, maybe Novak Djokovic’s home, but he hasn’t spent nearly as much time there as one might think. Sure, childhood memories and growing up are one thing, but his tennis career has greatly limited the veteran’s stay in his homeland, forcing him to carry those nostalgic emotions and memories with him while traveling. Sadly, much of that nostalgia doesn’t include time spent with his family.

“I traveled for 25 or 30 years, and for 15 or 20 years, I didn’t spend much time in Serbia. I spent little time with my wife and children in Belgrade; I had only recently started doing so, and I missed that,” he revealed in an interview earlier with La Nacion, highlighting the subtle yet visible sacrifices he makes. “I missed being with my people, speaking my own language, seeing my parents who live here, and all my family and friends. Here I feel a sense of belonging.”

Sure, it’s true that Djokovic’s little one often comes in the stands to support their superstar dad. However, the plot twist? While older son Stefan likes to play tennis, Tara, on the other hand, isn’t much of a fan. “She is not into tennis at all,” Novak said of Tara during a press conference at the 2023 Australian Open, revealing that his little princess is rather into ballet and gymnastics. Though Tara is not a big fan of tennis, she helps her dad in a lot of ways. “She keeps me grounded and humble, and she spins me around every single day,” added Djokovic.

Djokovic is approaching the twilight of his remarkable tennis journey and has confessed at the US Open that his body no longer bounces back the way it once did. Yet he stands just one Grand Slam victory away from securing a historic 25th major title. In chasing that pursuit, he’s been compelled to skip Tara’s eighth birthday celebration.