Radu Albot is gearing up to face Novak Djokovic for the first time, ready to push his limits in this high-stakes clash. This year, his motivation is deeply personal, as his three-year-old daughter and wife will be cheering from the stands. Their support has become profoundly significant for Albot, who recently got emotional, reflecting on the importance of having his family by his side at the US Open. The Moldovan shared how invaluable the support of his wife Doina, and daughter Adeline, has been for him during his matches.

He stated, “For me, seeing her and my wife in the stands is something special. You play all your life, and at one moment, you have an extra supporter in your team, a little one, so this is really interesting to feel.” Adeline, Radu Albot’s three-year-old daughter, finds this US Open to be particularly enchanting.

Unaware that her father would shortly be participating there, she went to Arthur Ashe Stadium with her mother to snap a picture. Although Adeline has previously had the opportunity to meet tennis legends such as Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Roger Federer, her biggest moment was from earlier this week, when she got to meet the venue’s famous namesake, Billie Jean King.

Talking about his daughter’s picture with Billie Jean King, Albot stated, “It’s actually cool. I think two years ago we were getting these little toys, dolls, they were plastic. And it was also [Billie Jean King] with the tennis racquet in hand. And she was playing all the time with this little toy, with the racquet and now she actually met in person, the real person of that toy.”

This will be the 34-year-old’s 30th major main draw appearance, but the first time he faces a Slam champion at a major. However, becoming a father has changed his perspective on and off the court.

Fatherhood changed Radu Albot’s perspective

The center of Albot’s universe has switched from tennis to his daughter Adeline, who is three years old. Her presence adds a new dimension to the game every time he gets onto the court and it has had a significant impact on Albot’s philosophy of play.

Last year, in an interview, he said, “It changed me of course. So much more responsibility. When you’re home, there [are many] more things to do and it’s around her. The world is around her now. So in the morning, I was waking up before and I was doing my stuff. Now, first thing I do, I go to wake her up when I’m home. I go put the clothes on, my wife is preparing breakfast, we eat and we go to the kindergarten.”

Fatherhood has significantly altered Radu Albot’s outlook on life and tennis. Since the birth of his daughter Adeline, he has been more motivated and has ample clarity about his priorities. Being a father has caused him to place more value on spending time with his family than merely winning games.

However, this year, it will be interesting to see whether having his lucky charm around works out well for Albot in the match against Djokovic. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.