PHOTOS: Novak Djokovic warms up with son Stefan before Wimbledon match
The nine-year-old apparently did a great job in getting dad ready for action, as Djokovic went on to win against British wildcard Jacob Fearnley in four sets on Centre Court.
Novak Djokovic’s practice partner looked a little different on Thursday at Wimbledon, as his eldest son Stefan joined the seven-time champion for a quick warmup and hit at Aorangi Park.
The No. 2 seed was set to play his second-round match later that day, scheduled to face British wildcard Jacob Fearnley first on Centre Court.
Before their meeting, cameras captured the adorable scenes as dad and son ran through a series of dynamic warm-up exercises, including leg swings and ball tosses, side by side. And afterward, Stefan joined Novak on court for a quick 10-minute hit toward the end of his practice.
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According to reports, Djokovic instructed his son in Serbian to keep his "knees down" and even asked him to hit "a few slices"—which the nine-year-old dutifully executed.
It seems like little Stefan did a great job getting dad ready for action, as Djokovic went on to win with only a third-set blip, 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 against Fearnley.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner told press that he is still being careful with his knee, which has been wrapped up on a gray support during matches and practices. Djokovic suffered a torn medial meniscus during his fourth-round win at Roland Garros, forcing him to withdraw before the quarterfinals. But after undergoing surgery, the 37-year-old has pulled off a seemingly miraculous comeback to win his first two matches and advance at Wimbledon.
Djokovic revealed that he’s not experiencing pain, but so “early after surgery” his biggest source of worry has been moving around the sometimes slippery grass courts.
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“The more matches I have, the better the chance I'll have to feel more comfortable moving around and gain that speed, agility, change of direction, that freedom that I'm looking for,” Djokovic said in a post-match press conference.
“In a way, it's expected and normal when you come back from surgery… already competing at the highest level on a surface that is slippery. Kind of have to be careful with the way you move at times.
“But I'll take this any day of the week, comparing to the pain that thankfully I'm not feeling.”
Check out more photos of Djokovic and son Stefan's practice session at Wimbledon:
No. 2 seed Djokovic will next face Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the third round, scheduled for Saturday at Wimbledon.