Want your son to be #1 in the world? Look at what the Djokovic's did:

[barringer97]

Srdjan Djokovic, father of No. 1-ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic, talked about his family's past financial troubles in an interview with the Belgrade-based newspaper Kurir.

Srdjan says Novak told him he wanted to be a world champion tennis player at age 10.

From then on, Srdjan and his wife Diana devoted themselves to Novak's career — asking friends for money, working 15-hour days, and even borrowing money from a loan shark.

Some of the sacrifices they made while raising Novak in Serbia:

He borrowed money from a loan shark, who charged him 15% monthly interest.

The Djokovic's sold all their gold and lived off the money for months.
They lived in rented apartments for 17 years.

They didn't tell Novak about their money issues until he was 17 years old.
Diana Djokovic worked 15-hour days and raised Novak's two brothers while Srdjan was with Novak at tournaments.

According to the biography section on his website, Novak spent a few months a year at a prestigious tennis academy in Germany after he turned 13. He won his first junior event at age 14 and became European junior champion at 16.

He turned pro in 2003, at age 16.

So there were six years when the Djokovic family pulled out every financial stop for Novak, without getting any income in return.



Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/novak-djokovic-loan-shark-2013-7#ixzz2aSOpBucn

 

[Overdrive]

Wow, there are few parents out there that I know of that would actually do this.

As the probability of becoming a successful professional player is relatively low, I commend them for doing this. Although I am not of fan of Djokovic, he can play tennis. To me, having someone that is good at playing tennis is better than having someone who does not play at all.

 

[boramiNYC]

that's unbelievably hardcore. much respect for the level of self belief in that family.

 

[rkelley]

But how many "Joe" Djokovic's are out there - the ones that didn't make it, who now are 30 years old, have a mountain of debt, and no education?

When is it too much?

 

[newpball]

But how many "Joe" Djokovic's are out there - the ones that didn't make it, who now are 30 years old, have a mountain of debt, and no education?

Yes, only the success stories are told.

But often it is common sense, I mean if a junior is not already world top in his age group chances are he or she is not going to make it.

 

[mbm0912]

This is all after knowing Novak clearly had something special. A natural gift that "Joe" does not have. Anyone cannot choose to be a champion tennis player. But when you're clearly a prodigy then it might be an option.

 

[sureshs]

Do you know how much education Novak had?

 

[newpball]

http://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/features/197676-university-dream-for-novak-djokovic

 

[TCF]

There are lots of those down here in SE FL. I personally know 2 groups of parents, one with 2 boys, one with 2 girls. All the parents work crazy hours and the only expense other than food and housing is tennis. The dads drive beat up old cars, one took a 2nd job driving at night, and all the money goes into the tennis.

I imagine there are many, many more out there.

 

[sureshs]

http://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/features/197676-university-dream-for-novak-djokovic

That is an important difference with the US. Many countries have a secondary school graduation option at 16 or have mainly exam-based passing with waived attendance requirements, as seems to be what Djokovic availed of. In the US, K-12 is mandatory, there is no certificate in between, and you can't just show up for 2 exams a year. So the options are pretty much homeschool or the more common private academy or school with flexibility for students. 'Regular" school is not possible.

This is a very under-appreciated factor in the constant debate about US tennis, USTA role, etc.

 

[TCF]

That is an important difference with the US. Many countries have a secondary school graduation option at 16 or have mainly exam-based passing with waived attendance requirements, as seems to be what Djokovic availed of. In the US, K-12 is mandatory, there is no certificate in between, and you can't just show up for 2 exams a year. So the options are pretty much homeschool or the more common private academy or school with flexibility for students. 'Regular" school is not possible.

This is a very under-appreciated factor in the constant debate about US tennis, USTA role, etc.

I am not understanding how its a factor. All the players in USTA Hi Performance do online schooling. The age of making it in the men's pros is higher than ever. What does the schooling option have to do with it?

Like you said, the early graduation is an option in those countries....just like online schooling or moving ahead a grade or getting a GED is an option here.

 

[sureshs]

I am not understanding how its a factor. All the players in USTA Hi Performance do online schooling. The age of making it in the men's pros is higher than ever. What does the schooling option have to do with it?

Like you said, the early graduation is an option in those countries....just like online schooling or moving ahead a grade or getting a GED is an option here.

Online schooling requires daily work. Showing up occasionally for an exam doesn't. That means someone like Djokovic can play tennis most of the time without having to submit homework every day.

Online schooling does not end at 16. That means it is 2 more years when your competitors are training full time.

GED is certainly an option. But I don't think US tennis parents are pushing their children to get a GED instead of finishing school. The implications for the future are serious.

 

[RollTrackTake]

He must have shown exceptional talent early on. It's a sign of the times that nowadays families must assume a huge financial outlay to mold their children into pro athletes. It's not just tennis either. Here in the U.S. IMG operates soccer, baseball, golf, tennis & football academies where for exorbitant fees you can send your high school aged child to a boarding school/ training academy. It's astonishing that the level of top pro's is now to the point where kids have to go to a specialized school to play 1 particular sport 5 hours a day and their parents have to get 2nd jobs to compete.

 

[sureshs]

^^^^ That is interesting. It shows that academies work. On this forum, all you hear is criticism of academies and their coaches. What I am hearing is that those who go to academies do better. May not be true at the extremes of talent on either edge, but certainly seems that the average level does go up.

 

[user92626]

He must have shown exceptional talent early on. It's a sign of the times that nowadays families must assume a huge financial outlay to mold their children into pro athletes. It's not just tennis either. Here in the U.S. IMG operates soccer, baseball, golf, tennis & football academies where for exorbitant fees you can send your high school aged child to a boarding school/ training academy. It's astonishing that the level of top pro's is now to the point where kids have to go to a specialized school to play 1 particular sport 5 hours a day and their parents have to get 2nd jobs to compete.

That's because all those sports you name have "matured", pay ludicrously which automatically means everyone wants to get in, ie competition. The law of economics is in effect. Start the National Handball Association and I bet you no one devotes more than 1 hour after school to train to get into. LOL.

By the way, for a working class bloke like me, I think it's utterly ridiculous to pay tens of millions to some dude like Federer whose only knowledge in life is how to hit a furry yellow ball very well. There are millions of folks who know how to plant foods, tends livestock, craft useful stuffs but yet can't sustain a living. Such a gap!

 

[sureshs]

That's because all those sports you name have "matured", pay ludicrously which automatically means everyone wants to get in, ie competition. The law of economics is in effect. Start the National Handball Association and I bet you no one devotes more than 1 hour after school to train to get into. LOL.

By the way, for a working class bloke like me, I think it's utterly ridiculous to pay tens of millions to some dude like Federer whose only knowledge in life is how to hit a furry yellow ball very well. There are millions of folks who know how to plant foods, tends livestock, craft useful stuffs but yet can't sustain a living. Such a gap!

Ahh the age old question.

Value is not determined by usefulness of the work or its noble nature or the amount of work or the dangerous conditions of the work - it is determined by how many people can do the work now and what people will pay for the work and how many people will pay for the work. In Federer's case, very few can do what he does, someone will pay quite a bit to watch him, and many people will also do the same. Contrast it with a cardiac surgeon in an emergency room. Arguably, more people can do his work than can play like Federer, the patient will pay a lot for the surgery, but 20,000 people will not pay 1 cent to see him operate on the one patient. And so on for other professions.

 

[RollTrackTake]

^^^^ That is interesting. It shows that academies work. On this forum, all you hear is criticism of academies and their coaches. What I am hearing is that those who go to academies do better. May not be true at the extremes of talent on either edge, but certainly seems that the average level does go up.

The academies work more for the owners (IMG) of course. They are cash cows. But you're correct in that a higher percentage of kids coming out of the academies continue on to the collegiate or pro levels of a particular sport. I grew up learning to play every sport in the backyard or neighborhood park and i was able to play in college with that base. So it's sad to see things going in this direction. There's going to be talented kids that don't have the means to pursue a pro tennis or golf career. Those with superstar talent, if recognized, will almost always be nurtured by those looking to profit from it. It will be the 2nd tier of pros that's not deep or even competitive with the top level.

 

[Mikeplaystenniss]

Thanks for the good read, was unaware of all of this actually.

 

[sureshs]

But you're correct in that a higher percentage of kids coming out of the academies continue on to the collegiate or pro levels of a particular sport.

And that is their value add.

Isn't it just because of higher standards due to competition?

 

[BMC9670]

Thousands, maybe tens of thousands of parents choose their kids futures with the hopes that their child will become one of the "few in a generation" that make it to the top. The ones that make it get their stories told and that spurs more people trying to emulate it. The sad fact is, hardly any make it. Very slippery slope.

 

[lightthestorm]

A couple years back in Boca Raton Camp... I got a chance to grind it out with Francis Tiafoe. Wonderful guy, great story, hard worker.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/24/s...ew-up-at-tennis-center-and-it-shows.html?_r=0

But it really shows the cost of being a tennis player at an elite level....

PS. If my son had Djoker's talent, I would sacrifice anything to get him to the top. Those parents probably recognized the talent he had and his domination in his country.... I doubt they would have done all that if he wasn't at least top 10 in Europe or something.

 

[RollTrackTake]

And that is their value add.

Isn't it just because of higher standards due to competition?

I would agree. It's globalization. And i'm not even talking about the highest pro levels. While tennis may not be growing a lot in the U.S. kids from around the world are coming to universities here to play tennis which means kids here have to compete at a higher level just to play in college. So to try to get their kids on the same level parents spend whatever it takes. I know they have similar tennis academies in Spain & Germany. One comparison that I've thought about is boxing. Boxing is an individual sport that requires countless hours of training and instruction yet it's participants by & large come from very humble means. How is it that boxing isn't seemingly as cost prohibitive as tennis?

 

[HughJars]

The hardest part about Novak's upbringing was the genuine fear for his and his own family's lives every night during NATO bombing raids. Wherever the bombs fall one night, Novak would go and practice there the next day cos he knew NATO wouldnt target the same place twice.

Then on the other hand youve got privledged and spoilt turds like Gulbis under performing.

 

[HughJars]

They borrowed money from a loan shark at 15% interest???

What the hell, thats the going rate for car and personal loans from banks in Australia at the moment! And we have the best performing economy!

 

[sureshs]

They borrowed money from a loan shark at 15% interest???

What the hell, thats the going rate for car and personal loans from banks in Australia at the moment! And we have the best performing economy!

15% monthly interest. When compounded, it is quite different.

 

[HughJars]

15% monthly interest. When compounded, it is quite different.

oh...

10char

 

[sureshs]

oh...

10char

It works out to 435% interest a year. Some finance guy here can check if that is right.

 

[barringer97]

I have 535%, but whatever, I could be wrong. Actually, you are right, because the principle if the other 100%.

So yes, 435.

 

[coaching32yrs]

Thousands, maybe tens of thousands of parents choose their kids futures with the hopes that their child will become one of the "few in a generation" that make it to the top. The ones that make it get their stories told and that spurs more people trying to emulate it. The sad fact is, hardly any make it. Very slippery slope.

There are many delusional parents in the junior tennis world. They see Djokovic and think, "someone is going to be #1 10 years from now, why not my son/daughter." Instead of looking with logic- becoming a pro tennis player is about the same odds as catching lightning in a bottle or winning the lotto. Many families have gone all in on their junior- financially and emotionally- only to be left with nothing at the end except bills and family splits. However, there is hope. There is lots of great tennis played in the clubs, public parks, leagues, ladders, high schools, and colleges. That is the real tennis. The highest level of junior tennis, with some notable exceptions, is dysfuntional.

 

[sureshs]

I have 535%, but whatever, I could be wrong. Actually, you are right, because the principle if the other 100%.

So yes, 435.

Yes need to subtract it.

I did: A = P(1 + 0.15)^12 = P(1 + x)^1

x = 0.435

r2473 should know this as he is an accountant but I am not sure whether he does.

 

[sureshs]

There are many delusional parents in the junior tennis world. They see Djokovic and think, "someone is going to be #1 10 years from now, why not my son/daughter." Instead of looking with logic- becoming a pro tennis player is about the same odds as catching lightning in a bottle or winning the lotto. Many families have gone all in on their junior- financially and emotionally- only to be left with nothing at the end except bills and family splits. However, there is hope. There is lots of great tennis played in the clubs, public parks, leagues, ladders, high schools, and colleges. That is the real tennis. The highest level of junior tennis, with some notable exceptions, is dysfuntional.

I have watched some amount of college tennis, and only the cream of the D1 comes close to the pros and can be called great tennis.

I also have my own thoughts on why parents spend time and money on their kids knowing the odds. I have seen several mediocre (in tennis) girls head out to small colleges with a full ride, and couple of just-above-average (in tennis) boys go to small Universities with a small scholarship (and admission of course). Even if the money put in does not make up for the college savings, it gives a sense of self-worth to the student which is priceless. One girl is studying psychology and one boy economics. Hardly earth-shattering. But the girl is assisting junior tournaments and coaching part-time in summer and probably the boy is doing the same and that kind of openings comes from tennis and can lead to huge networking and job opportunities. It serves to distinguish them from the other 10 million students with the same major from similar schools.

The other reason apart from college is simply: exercise. That is what one father told me. He coached his two daughters to the high school team and the elder one is already in college with no interest in tennis. The exercise is a lifelong awareness which will stick with them and help them keep healthy once they are adults.

And the third reason is just to give your kid something special. School is routine and getting a 4.0 GPA is also becoming routine. Sports is a different and interesting activity to indulge in.

 

[tennismonkey]

it's nice that they sacrificed and gambled their present and their future on novak being a once in a lifetime talent but it's not as simple as saying, if you want your son to be #1 in the world - follow the footsteps of the djokovic family and sell all your possessions and go to loan sharks and double down on lucky number nole.

i don't recall sampras, federer, nadal, etc parents having to go to such extremes. coming from a family that is financially well off does seem to be a big plus though.

 

[Thud and blunder]

It's clear that being crazy helps a lot. If you were normal and well-adjusted, you would be very unlikely to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars chasing a needle in a haystack. Hence the proportion of crazy tennis parents.

 

[sureshs]

i don't recall sampras, federer, nadal, etc parents having to go to such extremes.

None of them went to college, remember. That is crazy enough in today's world.

 

[dominikk1985]

This is all after knowing Novak clearly had something special. A natural gift that "Joe" does not have. Anyone cannot choose to be a champion tennis player. But when you're clearly a prodigy then it might be an option.

at age 12 many look like having something special. of course you can see talent even then but what you cannot see is whether he has no.1 talent or no. 300 talent.

 

[mike84]

Thousands, maybe tens of thousands of parents choose their kids futures with the hopes that their child will become one of the "few in a generation" that make it to the top. The ones that make it get their stories told and that spurs more people trying to emulate it. The sad fact is, hardly any make it. Very slippery slope.

Couldn't agree more.

Plus Novak father seems to forget how much luck is involved in Djokovic's success.

 

[sureshs]

The other way to look at it is what would they achieved if they did not do this.

 

[MarTennis]

Boxing...

I would agree. It's globalization. And i'm not even talking about the highest pro levels. While tennis may not be growing a lot in the U.S. kids from around the world are coming to universities here to play tennis which means kids here have to compete at a higher level just to play in college. So to try to get their kids on the same level parents spend whatever it takes. I know they have similar tennis academies in Spain & Germany. One comparison that I've thought about is boxing. Boxing is an individual sport that requires countless hours of training and instruction yet it's participants by & large come from very humble means. How is it that boxing isn't seemingly as cost prohibitive as tennis?

Thrives on old zealots that run gyms, charge whatever they can and get sponsors to keep the gym open. They live in the gym.