Novak Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, once made a candid admission that, at some point, he regretted dedicating all his attention to the Serb. He admitted that it drained him of his “energy” and “power” and, in the process, kept him from giving the same attention to his other two sons, Marko and Djordje.

Families often play a crucial role in shaping an athlete’s journey, and tennis has seen many such examples—Serena and Venus Williams’ father Richard and mother Oracene, Martina Hingis’ mother Melanie, Rafael Nadal’s uncle Toni, and Chris Evert’s father Jimmy, to name a few. Srdjan was no different.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion endured a difficult childhood, growing up during the NATO bombings of Serbia (then part of Yugoslavia) in 1999 amid the Kosovo War. His family even relocated to a mountain area for a while, hoping to shield themselves from the war’s harsh realities.

Novak Djokovic has often talked about how tough it was to train as a kid. But he still found a way, determined to make it big. Through it all, his family was right there with him—especially his father, Srdjan, who put so much into his career that he later admitted he didn’t have much left to give to his other sons, Marko and Djordje. It was a regret that stayed with him.

“Only Novak mattered. All of us—even his family and coaches—were unimportant. Everything was made for him to achieve what he has achieved today,” Srdjan said during an interview with Newsweek in 2016.

He added:

“Unfortunately for all the family, Marko and Djordje did not have one percent of my enthusiasm, will and power that I gave to Novak. I am sad because of this, because Marko and Djordje could have achieved something great. The problem is Novak took all my energy; I had nothing left. I had no power left.”

Marko and Djordje Djokovic gave tennis a shot, but with their elder brother setting the bar so high, it was always going to be tough. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t make the same mark on the sport as they might have dreamed.

“Novak Djokovic was the first child; he was welcomed with a lot of love” – Serb’s father Srdjan

In his Newsweek interview, Novak Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, reflected on how the Serb, as the eldest son, was always showered with extra love and attention. He also pointed out a key cultural contrast, explaining that in the Balkans, parents are far more involved in their children’s lives than in Western countries.

“He was the first child; he was welcomed with a lot of love, because he was the first grandson and son,” he said.

“The difference between us and Western countries—when we have a child, we want to be in its life 100 percent until the end. That’s why in Serbia and the Balkans we are so connected with our children. There is some special, unconditional love we have toward each other,” he added.

Srdjan also shared that while Djokovic was destined for greatness in tennis, his original dream was for all three of his sons to become famous skiers:

“He was born for this sport. My biggest wish was for the brothers to be professional skiers, but things probably turned out better this way.”

All of Srdjan’s efforts certainly paid off, as Novak Djokovic has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. With a record-breaking 24 Grand Slam titles in the Open Era—more than any male or female player—he has set benchmarks that may stand the test of time.