Novak Djokovic is one of the biggest tennis stars in the world, and in August 2024, he proved this by winning his first-ever gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Following the major victory, the tennis player beelined for his wife, Jelena, in the stands. Where every girl's athlete romance fantasy came true as the couple shared a loved-filled hug and kiss.
However, seeing the love bloom, the biggest question remains: who is Novak's wife, Jelena? Jelena Djokovic and Novak Djokovic were together for several years before getting married in 2014. In fact, the two dated for eight years and attended the same high school together in their home country of Serbia.
Jelena has been with the athlete since his career started to take off. However, that didn't stop her from focusing on her own goals either. In a conversation with Hello! Jelena stated that she dreamed of going to a university abroad, but her parents weren't financially able to afford it, which encouraged her to be an excellent student.
Jelena Djokovic's hard work during her school days paid off. She was able to study luxury brand management at the Bocconi University in Milan. However, what was good for her education created a hurdle in her relationship with Novak. Yet, despite the long distance and their busy schedules, the pair found a way to make their romance work. Talking to Hello! about managing her love life, she stated:
"Us getting together was almost like science fiction. 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. 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."
After Jelena had completed college, she moved in with Novak in Monte Carlo, where she got a temporary job at an oil company. However, soon after, she had to leave the said job as it affected her relationship with Novak negatively. Nonetheless, Jelena did not give up on her career and went on to act as the National Director of the couple's charity organisation, the Novak Djokovic Foundation.
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According to an interview with HuffPost, Novak and his family created the organization to provide childhood education to disadvantaged children in Serbia. Jelena has also dabbled in modelling and in 2013, she was even made as the face of lingerie and swimwear brand Figleaves.com.
Jelena Djokovic is the mother of two beautiful children. She welcomed their first child on October 22, 2014. She gave birth to their son, Stefan Djokovic. Three years later, the couple welcomed their second child, Tara Djokovic, in September 2017. Novak announced the arrival of his little princess with a sweet post in which he showed his love for the little angel.
Jelena Djokovic is her husband's biggest supporter. She understands Novak's passion for the game and is there to support him every step of the way. Jelena Has watched Novak win several major tournaments, including Wimbledon. She had been there when Novak broke the record for most weeks as number one tennis player. Novak currently holds 24 Grand Slam singles titles and is a gold medalist. He achieved his longtime goal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in August 2024.
Now that we are aware of Jelena Djokovic, let's find out how Novak Djokovic’s love story with his now-wife began, and apparently, it didn't exactly start on the most charming note. Apparently, while Novak is a pro on the tennis court, he was less of a seasoned dater. However, despite their first date mess-up, he won over Jelena, and they have been happily together for over 10 years.
Novak Djokovic revealed about his first date with his now-wife, Jelena, during a 2016 video interview. The tennis played explained that in eagerness to impress Jelena, he took her to a posh sports bar in Monte Carlo. However, his attempt to impress Jelena backfired as when he ordered the steak, he ordered a tartare steak, which is typically raw meat, but the tennis player was unaware of that.
In the same conversation, they further shared that once they called the waiter to explain the streak was undercooked, Novak was embarrassed to learn the truth about the dish. However, this did not offend Jelena, and they moved on from it. Novak even revealed they now fondly laugh about the incident.
Novak Djokovic made sure his proposal to Jelena was flawless after the first date mishap. Speaking in an interview with Graham Bensinger, Novak shared the details of his romantic and thoughtful proposal. The tennis players had arranged for a hot-air balloon with a banner that read, 'Will you marry me?' Initially, Jelena was confused by the setup. However, it all came together once Novak dropped to one knee, and the rest is history.
What are your thoughts on Novak Djokovic and Jelena Djokovic's love story?
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