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Getty Novak Djokovic and his wife, Jelena Djokovic, at Palacio De Cibeles on April 22, 2024.
For the second straight year, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic faces off against Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon Finals on Sunday, July 14.
Cheering on Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, his wife, Jelena Djokovic, and their two children, Stefan, 9, and Tara, 6. Before defeating Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals, Djokovic opened up what it’s like having his family in the stands.
“It’s incredible to have them with me,” he told the Tennis Channel. “And get them to be part of this journey, and have them at the age that they understand what is going on.”
When asked what he hoped his kids absorb while the 37-year-old essentially takes them to work, his answer, which elicited an eye-roll from his wife, caught viewers’ attention.
“Out of the two parents, I’m the one who is responsible for their activities, sports, healthy lifestyle,” he said, looking off-camera toward Jelena. “Exactly… she’s rolling her eyes right now as I’m speaking!”
Djokovic added, “I keep reminding them of how important it is to be active and do sports, whether it’s tennis, whatever it is. Just be active. Be out there.”
While the tennis legend loves getting his children involved in the sport, Tara was hilariously caught reading a book about unicorns during his victory over Alex De Minaur Walkover in the quarterfinals.
“Of course,” he said. “I love unicorns, of course! I was very happy when I saw that. And sad at the same time because my tennis doesn’t make her excited so much, so she needs to grab a book to entertain herself.”
Novak Djokovic Posted a Sweet Tribute to His Wife Jelena on Their 10th Wedding Anniversary
Djokovic, who holds the men’s record with 24 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, first met his wife when they were teenagers, per People. However, the high school sweethearts didn’t get engaged until 2013. They married on July 10, 2014, shortly after Djokovic won his second Wimbledon title. At the time, Jelena was pregnant with their first child.
During his current historic Wimbledon run, the couple celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary. Amid the mounting tension of the upcoming Grand Slam final, Djokovic paused to celebrate the occasion.
He posted a video of the couple on Instagram and wrote in part, “Ten years of dreams, Ten years as islands, Ten years as streams…
“Ten years as parents, Ten years as one, Ten years of dancing, Ten years of fun. Ten years as teammates, Ten years together, Ten years Jelena, I love you forever. I love you.”
Novak Djokovic Can Make Grand Slam History With a Defeat Over Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon
Djokovic will look to get revenge against Alcaraz on Sunday, the 21-year-old Spanish phenom who defeated him at Wimbledon last year. If Djokovic can win his 25th Grand Slam singles title, he’ll surpass Margaret Court’s all-time record.
It’s impressive Djokovic even made it to the finals, as he was forced to withdraw from the French Open last month, which Alcaraz won. After undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee, it was largely assumed Djokovic would not be able to compete at Wimbledon. But the motivation to make tennis history fueled his comeback.
“I’m aware that Roger (Federer) holds eight Wimbledons [and] I hold seven,” he said, The Guardian reported. “History is on the line.
“Also, the 25th potential grand slam. Of course, it serves as a great motivation, but at the same time, it’s also a lot of pressure and expectations. Every time I step out on the court now, even though I’m 37 and competing with the 21‑year‑olds, I still expect myself to win most of the matches, and people expect me to win, whatever, 99% of the matches that I play.”
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Novak Djokovic’s Comment About His Wife Turns Heads at Wimbledon