Fatherhood Quote by Richard Krajicek

It reads like a shrug, but it’s a loaded one. Richard Krajicek is talking about something tennis pretends isn’t decisive: the invisible infrastructure behind “individual” greatness. “My father’s coaching Misha and I” frames success as a family operation, not a lone-wolf myth. Then he slips in the hedge - “just might help” - a humblebrag in reverse, the athlete’s instinct to understate advantage so it doesn’t sound like nepotism or entitlement. In elite sport, admitting you’ve benefited from proximity, expertise, and trust can feel like confessing you weren’t self-made.

The name “Misha” (Mikhail “Mischa” Krajicek, his half-brother and fellow pro) widens the lens. This isn’t just dad giving tips; it’s a shared pipeline: technique, discipline, emotional regulation, even the day-to-day logistics that decide who gets enough reps to become dangerous. Family coaching is also a psychological shortcut. Trust is preloaded. Feedback lands faster. The subtext is that a father can say the uncomfortable thing a hired coach can’t, and a son will still come back the next day.

Krajicek’s phrasing also protects against tennis’s romance of meritocracy. He acknowledges help without turning it into a neat origin story. “From time to time” is the tell: coaching isn’t a one-time gift; it’s a recurring stabilizer, especially when careers wobble. The intent is modest, but the context is blunt: talent matters, yet the people in your corner shape how far it gets to travel.