Novak Djokovic and Wife Jelena Don’t Let Their Kids Have Smartphones Despite Peer Pressure: “It’s More Harmful Than Beneficial”

Novak Djokovic, during the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast last year, gave parenting advice. He said it’s important for the kids to get bored and not pick up a book or a phone instantly to kill boredom. Djokovic believes boredom can fuel creativity.

Well, Nole dropped another piece of parenting advice in his pre-tournament press conference at Wimbledon. The first question he was asked was how he, as a tennis player and a parent, balances the use of technology, especially after the exponential rise of artificial intelligence.

Djokovic said he and his wife, Jelena Djokovic, don’t allow their 11-year-old son Stefan and eight-year-old daughter Tara to use smartphones in spite of the peer pressure.

In the world of ever-evolving technology, particularly as a parent of young children, you always think how you can protect them and how you can also satisfy some fundamental needs. If all of their friends have it, obviously, they’re asking for it. And it’s a challenging situation for me and my wife, but at the same time, we believe firmly that before a certain age, the exposure to screens, it’s more harmful than beneficial.

Djokovic said his kids will only have phones when they reach a certain age, but until then, he and Jelena will ensure Tara and Stefan don’t get exposed to whatever harmful stuff phones can bring.

We live in a technological era, and it’s all around them, but we try to control what we try to control in a sense, at least while they’re still very young. And then afterwards, the time is coming anyway very soon where they’re going to be exposed, and they’re going to have their own screens, etc. But we try to at least give them some protections and control before this inevitable moment arrives.

Novak Djokovic added

The whole Djokovic family was in Paris during the French Open. But it’s unclear whether his wife and kids will be coming to London for the grass-court Major.

Wu Yibing’s dream of facing Novak Djokovic will come true

Wu Yibing is Novak Djokovic‘s first-round opponent, and he was super excited when he saw the draw. It was always a dream of the Chinese ace to square off against the 24-time Grand Slam champion on the Centre Court of Wimbledon.

I was very happy when I saw the draw. I couldn’t believe it. Playing against Djokovic here, on the Centre Court at Wimbledon, is the dream of many players, including mine. For me, he is the GOAT of tennis, and I can’t wait for the moment to arrive.

Wu Yibing said (H/T: ATP Tour)

The 26-year-old will be playing in the first round of Wimbledon for the second time in his career after the 2023 season. The only time he has made the third round of a Major was at the 2022 US Open.

The former World No.1, on the other hand, is aiming to win his eighth title at SW19, last winning it in 2022 by defeating Nick Kyrgios. Carlos Alcaraz ruined his Calendar Grand Slam goal in 2023 by defeating him in five sets in the Wimbledon final. The following year, the Spaniard beat him in straight sets in the Wimbledon final.

Eventual champion Jannik Sinner eliminated the Serbian great from the semifinal last year. Djokovic, at this year’s Australian Open, snapped his five-match losing streak against the four-time Major champion in the Australian Open final.

But Alcaraz once again ruined his 25th Grand Slam dream with a four-set win in the final. At the French Open this year, Joao Fonseca knocked the 39-year-old out in the third round.

Also read: Alexander Zverev Makes Allergy Confession from Wimbledon Grass: “I Suffer from It Every Year”