Who Is Novak Djokovic’s Wife? Tennis Star, Jelena Djokovic Met as Teenagers
Djokovic #Djokovic
Novak Djokovic has enjoyed a stellar tennis career, which has seen him placed among the greats of the sport.
The Serbian star has won 21 Grand Slam singles titles (second behind Rafael Nadal, who has 22) and could be equaling that total if he triumphs in the Australian Open final.
Djokovic, 35, has won 92 ATP singles titles including the Grand Slams, six ATP Finals titles, and a record 38 ATP Masters titles.
Djokovic courted controversy last year in Australia after he was refused entry due to his vaccination status and was subsequently deported.
© Getty Images Jelena Djokovic and Novak Djokovic attend the Wimbledon Champions Dinner at Wimbledon on July 10, 2022 in London Getty Images
This time around, it has been his father Srdjan who has almost overshadowed Novak’s achievements on the court after being caught on camera at a pro-Russia protest.
There has been one constant thoughout all this and much of Novak’s career and that is his wife Jelena.
Here is what we know about Jelena and her relationship with Novak.
When Did Novak and Jelena Djokovic First Meet?
Jelena Djokovic’s maiden name is Ristic and she first started dating Novak in 2005. This was a couple of years before he landed his first important tennis titles, winning the Miami Open and the Canadian Open, in 2007.
They had previously met each other at high school in Serbia as teenagers and they eventually got engaged, after eight years of dating, in 2013.
Their relationship had a difficult start as Jelena was studying luxury brand management at Bocconi University in Milan, while Novak was trying to make his way on the ATP tour.
Despite this, they managed to make the relationship work. Speaking about those days, Hello! quoted Jelena as saying: “Us getting together was like science fiction almost.
“I was a student barely getting by, and he was a very young tennis player who also had no money to spare on expensive trips.”
She continued: “Airplanes were, at the time, something utterly out of our reach.
“We contrived and devised these plans how to meet, how to make our relationship work.”
Once Jelena had finished at college, the pair moved in together in Monte Carlo.
© Getty Images Novak Djokovic (L) of Serbia relaxes with his wife Jelena Djokovic (R) after the exhibition doubles match of the Adria Tour charity exhibition hosted by Novak Djokovic, on June 12, 2020 in Belgrade Getty Images
When Did Novak Djokovic Marry Jelena?
Novak and Jelena tied the knot in July 2014 in a ceremony on the grounds of Aman Sveti Stefan Resort in Montenegro.
The happy groom told Hello! at the time: “Seeing her for the first time in her wedding dress, smiling and walking towards me… She looked like an angel.
“I was trying to be present in that moment and memorize it. I was focused on her, and her smile, and our baby. It really was a perfect moment.”
How Many Children Do Novak and Jelena Djokovic Have?
Novak and Jelena, 36, have two children together with their son Stefan being born in October 2014.
Three years later, Djokovic confirmed he was a father again when the couple announced that their daughter Tara had been born, in September 2017.
© Getty Images Laureus World Sportsman of The Year 2019 Nominee Novak Djokovic and wife Jelena Djokovic during the 2019 Laureus World Sports Awards on February 18, 2019 in Monaco Getty Images What Does Jelena Djokovic Do as a Job?
When Jelena first moved in with Novak, at their place in Monte Carlo, she got a temporary job at an oil company.
Since then she has become a director of their charity, the Novak Djokovic Foundation, which aims to help children in Serbia realize their dreams by improving the country’s education system.
Do you have a tip on a sports story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about tennis? Let us know via entertainment@newsweek.com.
Related Articles
Start your unlimited Newsweek trial