With Rafael Nadal enduring a defeat in his first match as a father, here's a look at how Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic fared in theirs

Rafael Nadal was not in action for the month of October 2022 as he took time off to welcome his newborn son to the family. As the good news approached the Spaniard off the pitch, things turned out to be rather disappointing for the player on the pitch as he suffered a shocking loss to Tommy Paul in the second round of the Paris Masters.

The clash against Paul marked the Spaniard's first fixture as a father, meaning that the defeat will continue to live on in ignomity for years to come. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, won their respective fixtures after taking breaks to welcome their babies.

Federer became the father of twin girls Myla Rose and Charlene Riva in 2009, following which the Swiss took a five-week break to spend time with his newborn children. He was back in action for the summer hardcourt season, during which he took part in the Rogers Cup, now called the Canadian Open, first up.

Frederic Niemeyer was Federer's opponent in his first fixture after the break. The 20-time Grand Slam winner outclassed the Canadian and went on to defeat Stan Wawrinka in the third round. However, the Swiss lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals.

As for Djokovic, his wife Jelena gave birth to their baby boy Stefan in October 2014 and the Serb was straight back in action at the Paris Masters after welcoming his child. Djokovic faced Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round following a first-round bye. The 35-year-old was ruthless against the German as he won the match in straight sets.

Djokovic appreciated his wife Jelena after the match that night for her constant support and how she managed to handle the birth. The Serbian was confident that his son Stefan's presence would only inspire him to bring out his best.

"I'm very proud to be a father and I'm very proud of my wife for handling the birth in a great way. She's back home recovering now, with our little boy. This was my first match as a father and it can only inspire me to play my best tennis", he said.

Djokovic went on to win the tournament, becoming the first man in history to defend his title at the Paris Masters. Most notably, the 21-time Grand Slam champion celebrated his win by sucking his thumb in honor of his newborn son.

---

"Always tough to leave home" - Rafael Nadal on how much he misses his son despite knowing him for only a few weeks

Rafael Nadal at the Paris Masters

Rafael Nadal found it difficult to leave his wife Maria Francisca Perello and their newborn son at home in Mallorca as he traveled to France for the Paris Masters. Nadal opened up about how hard it is for him to stay away from his family at his press conference before his opener against Tommy Paul, remarking that he could feel the ache in his heart upon leaving his dear ones, especially so soon after spending the past three weeks together with them.

"Always have been tough to leave home. It's quite interesting how even after two or three weeks knowing him (Nadal's son), you start missing him", Nadal said.

Nadal, however, acknowledged that changes and seperations are a part of life and that he has to adapt to it. He also stated that he was grateful for how technology helps one connect to their loved ones whenever they want, revealing that he enjoyed talking to his son through video calls with his wife.

"All the changes are difficult in this life and you need to adapt to it. It's at the same time true that we are lucky today that, with technology, we can do video calls anytime you want, so that always helps", he stated.