Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic has shared the unexpectedly awkward story of how he first encountered his future wife Jelena, revealing details that surprised fans during a recent interview.
The Unconventional Beginning
Djokovic, 38, disclosed that he initially learned about Jelena through a friend's romantic gesture that he and his peers found "lame" at the time. Speaking candidly on Piers Morgan Uncensored, the Serbian tennis legend explained that Jelena was dating one of his tennis friends when they first crossed paths.
"She used to play tennis, but we never met through tennis while she was playing it," Djokovic recalled. "She dated a tennis player that is a friend of mine from early days."
The memorable moment came when Djokovic's friend won an important match and celebrated by revealing a custom t-shirt underneath his jersey that read: "Jelena I love you, this is for you."
"We were like that is so lame, why would you do that and who is this Jelena," Djokovic admitted, laughing about the incident two decades later. "And it was her."
From Friendship to Lifelong Partnership
The couple have now been together for 20 years and share two children together. They officially tied the knot in 2014, welcoming their son Stefan the same year. Their daughter Tara arrived three years later, completing their family.
Djokovic emphasized that their relationship only began after Jelena had split from his friend, and they started dating when he moved to Monte Carlo. They had known each other through mutual friends for four to five years before romance blossomed.
"She's basically the only serious long serious relationship I ever had," the tennis champion revealed. "I had some few months relationships here and there, but she's truly the love of my life."
Maintaining Friendships and Boundaries
Despite the potentially uncomfortable situation, Djokovic remains friends with Jelena's ex-boyfriend. In fact, he revealed they had spoken just the day before his interview with Morgan.
However, the topic of Jelena remains strictly off-limits between the two men. "He's good, he moved on and has a family," Djokovic explained. "We actually never spoke about it. I think we're both very uncomfortable speaking about it."
The couple's relationship has stood the test of time, with Jelena having been a tennis player herself in her youth, though she never turned professional.
Recent Tennis Developments
Djokovic's personal revelations come amid significant professional developments. The tennis star last week became the third-oldest winner of an ATP title in the Open era after defeating Lorenzo Musetti in the final of the Athens Open.
However, fans received disappointing news when Djokovic announced he would need to withdraw from this week's season-ending ATP Tour Finals in Turin due to an ongoing shoulder injury. He had been playing with strapping on his shoulder during his recent match.
"I was really looking forward to competing in Turin and giving my best but after today's final in Athens, I'm sad to share that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury," he posted on Instagram.
The tennis champion expressed his regret to fans, saying: "I'm truly sorry to the fans who were hoping to see me play - your support means so much." He added that he "can't wait to be back on the court" soon.
