What would have been an uncommon sight just a few years ago has become somewhat the norm: children of professional players are regularly part of the "action" in the players' tournament lounges.
As the average length of player’s career is stretched, the rate of players combining their professional careers with parenthood rises with it. The list of examples is headed by World No. 2 Roger Federer, father of twin girls Myla and Charlene (born 23 July 2009) and twin boys Leo and Lenny (born 6 May 2014). Another Top 10 player, John Isner, is expecting his first child with wife Madison.
For a few years now, Novak Djokovic has proven he can be both a doting father and a force to be reckoned with on the ATP World Tour. The Serbian has two children: Stefan, age 4, and eight-month-old Tara. Three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray welcomed first daughter Sophia Olivia into his life two years ago and his second daughter, Edie, in November. Stan Wawrinka, also a three-time Grand Slam champion, is raising eight-year-old Alexia.
Roland Garros is no stranger to the tour's "baby boom" and children accompanying their professional fathers in the players' lounge. David Ferrer, who lost in the first round in Paris, is one of the latest players to become a dad after his wife, Marta, gave birth to their first son, Leo, on 4 May.
"Everything has changed since I became a father," Ferrer told ATPWorldTour.com. "It's a totally different life now; you experience something new and special every day. It's a great feeling. Of course, not everything is perfect and it makes me laugh when parents only talk about the bright stuff. Being a player and a father takes a lot of sacrifice, especially at the level in which we compete on the tour."
Pablo Cuevas, who advanced to the second round at Roland Garros by defeating Aljaz Bedene 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday, shares Ferrer's sentiments, but also has a bit of advice on how to balance paternity with tour play.
"Of course it's hard [being a father and a pro player]," said Cuevas, a father of two. "I'm more experienced in that department than David. I saw him here [at Roland Garros] before his first match and he told me he was having a hard time getting some sleep. I told him it's all about adapting to this new life and that he'll get to it with time."
Cuevas knows a little about adjusting to life as a father. The Uruguayan had to shift his entire living space in order to get a good night of rest after his second child was born.
"I live in a two-story apartment and I sleep on the second floor," Cuevas explained. "The first floor is for the children. My younger child wakes up in the middle of the night, just like my daughter would do when she was very young. My wife knows the routine, and she also knows how important it is that I get enough rest. Being a father can be tiring, but it also can be energising in a weird way."
In a few days, Horacio Zeballos will be a father for the second time. The Argentine, who plays ninth seed John Isner in the second round, has noticed the trend of players balancing their careers with fatherhood and links the two with longevity.
"These days, a player's career can last well into his mid- to late 30s," the 33-year-old explained.
Zeballos never thought twice about traveling to events with his two-year-old daughter Emma and wife Sofia.
"If you get the opportunity to travel with your wife and children, you should go for it," Zeballos said. "There are ways to make it an enjoyable experience. Last year, out of the seven months I was on the road, I spent five of those months with my family.
“It's comforting to me and I feel I play better when my family accompanies me to matches. There are more important things in life than just a tennis career. My wife is expecting our second child and even though I'm a little nervous, I'm also excited that soon we'll be able to travel as a family again."
That's just a small sample of players who balance their day-to-day lives on the tour with paternal duties. Top players like Fabio Fognini, Gilles Muller, Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Pablo Andujar, David Marrero, Carlos Berlocq, Federico Delbonis and Leonardo Mayer are other names that make up the player/father list. Mayer's one-year-old son, Valentino, is a prime example of a child that might be seen roaming the players' lounge under his father's watchful eye.
"He just started walking, and that's opened a whole new world to him," Mayer said. "He sees a racquet and he walks over to grab and swing it. He's a pretty strong toddler; he'll hurl the racquets sometimes. You won't see me throwing my racquet, I avoid that kind of behavior, but Valentino is a different story."
from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/2xsLnPD
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