"I'm going to try to win and give her that kind of gift," Djokovic discusses missing his daughter's birthday

At 38 years old, Djokovic has achieved another feat by qualifying for the quarterfinals of all Grand Slams in a single season. After defeating Struff (6-3, 6-3, 6-2), he will now face last year's finalist, American Fritz, for a spot in the semifinals.

While this match is very important for the Serbian, it holds even more significance as it falls on the same day as his daughter Tara's birthday. Born on September 2, 2017, she will turn 8 this Tuesday. The tennis legend commented on the situation during a press conference:

"We predicted this could happen. Yes, she's not very happy, so please don't remind me. At least, I'm going to try to win and give her that kind of gift, along with some other nice presents.

It would be a great surprise for her birthday celebration, and I hope she'll be happy. But again, there's a big difference between an absent dad and a present dad—I know that. And that's just how it is this year."

For context, Djokovic is still chasing his 25th career Grand Slam title. Despite winning a historic gold medal at last year's Olympics, the former world number one has not won a Major since the 2023 US Open.