Novak Djokovic cops massive blow before Australian Open after sad confession about wife and kids

Novak Djokovic's preparations for the Australian Open have been rocked after he suffered a shock loss to Riley Opelka at the Brisbane International on Friday night. The giant American stunned Djokovic 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 to ensure the Serb's wait for a 100th ATP title goes on.

Djokovic opted for a rare appearance in Brisbane before attempting to win a record 25th grand slam title - and 11th Australian Open - in Melbourne later this month. And it was all going well until he ran into an inspired Opelka - on the comeback trail from long-term hip and wrist injuries.

"He's the greatest tennis player the sport's ever seen," Opelka said after the pair shared a moment at the net. "He can scout me or his opponent all day long but the reality is you have nothing to lose coming against him.

"You play more freely, take more risks because it's your only chance because if you play, even above your normal level, he's going to win every time. He gets guys that roll the dice and on days like this when things go my way that's how it works out."

Novak Djokovic opens up on different family situation

Just 24 hours earlier, Djokovic had expressed his happiness at having his wife and two kids with him in Australia for the first time, while also revealing the guilt he feels every time he leaves them. The 2025 edition of the Australian Open marks the first time that both of Djokovic's kids - son Stefan and daughter Tara - have made the trip Down Under to watch him play the grand slam in Melbourne.

Speaking at the Brisbane International on Thursday night, the 24-time grand slam champion said he's more motivated to succeed and calmer than ever before - which he attributes to having his young family by his side. A twinkle came to the 37-year-old's eyes when discussing the benefits of having wife Jelena, son Stefan and daughter Tara with him.

Speaking on court after beating Gael Monfils to progress to the quarter-finals, Djokovic said his "heart was full" due to their presence. "It allows me, first of all, to not feel the guilt that I'm so far away for such a long time," he said. "I've been feeling that, I must admit, when I would travel to Australia in the previous years, I would be away for four or five weeks.

"Every time you have to separate with your kids and your wife, there's a lot of tears involved. It's not easy. Then you start to question yourself. Why do I have to do it over and over again? This makes it so much easier for me, obviously knowing going back home now they're going to be there waiting for me. I'm more motivated."

Djokovic said he's way more relaxed on and off the court as a result. "I am also more calm, more serene," he said. "I spend great quality time with them. It allows me to also not think about tennis 24/7, to have time where I can just release the tension and be really involved in their time. It's a great balance so far.

"My wife, she's here supporting me, trying to give me that love and energy, along with kids, that I need to play my best tennis. So far, it's working very well. I mean, I'm feeling great on the court. I'm playing great."

Novak Djokovic using lessons learnt from George Russell

Djokovic had been hoping to win the Brisbane International for the first time, but his greater goal is to win an 11th Australian Open crown. It would give him 25 grand slam titles for his career and take him out of a tie with Aussie great Margaret Court for most all-time.

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The Serbian star is leaving no stone unturned, and recently made a visit to British F1 driver George Russell to learn some of his ways. "George took me to their (Mercedes) technical room to meet the data and tech team. I think it could be maybe 15 people that is working there on the computers, each person for a specific technical element," he said.

"I felt like in Disneyland a little bit because I believe that there's a lot of beneficial things that you can get out of the data. Then, of course, how do you transfer it or translate to the court is the key, right? Everyone can see data, read data, but how do you get that on the court to actually work for you efficiently? I really like data. Video analysis particularly. I'm quite a visual type of guy. I like to get a sense of patterns of play of my next opponent."