Patrick Mouratoglou reveals why Novak Djokovic has already made the best decision for his son
Novak Djokovic has revealed his son Stefan could be dreaming of following in his father’s footsteps with a move into tennis, yet coaching guru Patrick Mouratoglou admits that dream will be laced with challenges.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion spoke about his son’s tennis ambitions when he sat down for an extended interview with Piers Morgan last week, with Djokovic confirming that if Stefan tries to make it in tennis, he will not be his coach.
It may seem like the greatest player of all-time would be the perfect coach to his own son, but Mouratoglou has suggested he would be the worst candidate for the role as his investment in his son would be too intense.
The former coach of Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka spoke on LinkedIn and revealed his personal experience of parents having a negative impact on the development of their children.
“When Novak Djokovic says he wants to be his son’s father, not his coach, he’s touching the heart of the biggest challenge for any parent in sport: knowing where the line is. Most parents cross it without even realising,” said Mouratoglou.
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“Last week, in Piers Morgan’s podcast, Novak Djokovic said something incredibly wise about his son who has “good tennis genes” and who is passionate about the sport: “I want to be his father. I don’t want to be his coach:. And I think every parent in sport should listen.
“Everything Novak said makes perfect sense. If I had to give advice to his son, I would never tell him to try to become a professional tennis player. Not because he’s not talented, but because the mountain he must climb is unreal.
“Now, if Novak’s son chooses this journey, then Novak’s approach is exactly right: Support him 100%. Believe in him. Be behind him. But don’t coach him. Of course, there are exceptions, but precisely there are exceptions.
“That is the mission of every parent. Because coaching is not “supporting.” Coaching is stepping into the arena yourself.”
Mourtoglou went on to reflect on the role parents have in the development of a tennis story, with so many examples down the years of negative interventions.
“Most parents who coach their child don’t do it for the child, they do it because they want to be part of the story. But they are not trained for it,” he added. “They don’t have the distance, the experience, or the emotional separation needed.
“Novak knows this better than anyone. His father was extremely involved in his early career. At some point, Novak had to tell him: “Please step away. I need to build myself as a person. I need you as a father, not as a coach.
“And this is why it can become dangerous. When a player loses, which happens all the time, the emotional negativity becomes shared. There is no buffer. It damages the relationship every day. And the bond between a parent and a child is infinitely more important than any tennis result.
“I’ve lived it myself: my own children play tennis, and I decided very early: I will never coach them. Not because I don’t know how, but because coaching them is not what they need from me. They need emotional stability, unconditional support, belief.
“And Novak will help his son in another, much smarter way: By choosing the right people around him. The best coaches. The best fitness experts. The best environment. Because he knows the sport better than anyone, and that is how he can truly help.
“At the end of the day, the role of a parent in sport is simple: be the safe place, not the source of pressure.”
