Novak Djokovic gets telling off from daughter after interrupting live Australian Open interview for heartwarming moment
NOVAK DJOKOVIC’s daughter gave him a shock telling off just moments after he dumped Carlos Alcaraz out of the Australian Open.
The Serbian slugger produced an incredible comeback to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament, beating the Spaniard 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4.
Djokvic’s wife and children were in attendance for the epic match, which finished just before 1am.
Former world No1 Djokovic said in his post-match interview with Channel Nine: “I’m surprised my kids are still here.”
Tennis fans in attendance immediately burst into laughter, although Djokovic’s daughter – Tara – had a different reaction.
She tapped her left wrist in an apparent reference to the fact she was up well past her bed time, a fact her old man quickly acknowledge.
He continued: “I love you. Thank you for supporting me. But it’s 1 am. When are you gonna sleep?”
Djokovic battled through an obvious injury to his left leg to stun 21-year-old Alcaraz but refused to divulge details of his setback.
The 37-year-old said: “Since I am still in the tournament, I don’t want to reveal too much. The medication started to kick in.
“That helped, no doubt. I had to take another dose.
“If I’d lost that second set, I don’t know if I’d have continued playing.
“[But] I felt better and better and managed to play a great couple of games at the end of the second set.
“Then I saw that Carlos was hesitant a little bit at the back of the court and I took my chances, started to feel better and move better.
“It didn’t bother me or create any hindrance towards the end of the match.
“When the medication starts to release, I’ll see what the reality is tomorrow morning.
“Right now I am just trying to be in the moment and enjoy this victory. It’s one of the most epic matches that I’ve played on any court.”
He later told Eurosport: “You don’t want to be playing with an injury, but you have to adapt to the circumstances and whatever you are facing on the court.
“It’s not the first time for me, here in 2021 and 2023 I had similar things. I played some of my best tennis after that.
“I have an extra day off and hopefully that will help. Once the body cools down, I will know what the reality is.
“It has been one of the best battles and matches that I have played on any court.
“I had to do better than I have done the entire tournament.
“I don’t know how I got out of that trouble towards end of the fourth set and I’m just super pleased to get through.”
Djokovic’s interview with Channel Nine came after he boycotted the Aussie channel in response to comments made by their reporter, Tony Jones.
Jones drew the ire of Djokovic by shouting to Serbian fans: “Novak, he’s overrated, Novak’s a has-been, Novak kick him out.”
Djokovic , who refused to speak to Channel Nine after his fourth-round win over Jiri Lehecka, accused Jones of making a “mockery of Serbian fans” and making “offensive comments” towards him.
Jones made ammends by issuing a grovelling public apology and a private one to Djokovic’s team.