Novak Djokovic: Who is the tennis player's wife and high school sweetheart, Jelena Ristic?

The tennis player has been sharing his life with a certain Jelena Ristic for many years. Here's what we know about Novak Djokovic's wife, with whom he has two children.

Novak Djokovic tennis player wife Jelena Ristic
© Karwai Tang / Getty Images
Novak Djokovic tennis player wife Jelena Ristic

Novak Djokovic's life has been marked by success on tennis courts the world over. However, behind his sporting exploits lies a woman who has played a crucial role in his professional and personal career. Jelena Ristic, whom he met in high school in Belgrade, is much more than just a spectator. But who is this woman who has captured his heart?

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Who is Jelena Ristic, Novak Djokovic's wife?

Although her name is now Jelena Djokovic, she was born Jelena Ristic. The young woman was born on June 17, 1986 in Serbia, her native country. Jelena turns 37 in 2023.

After attending high school in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, Jelena went on to study in Italy, graduating with a degree in marketing. Today, Novak Djokovic's wife is a committed entrepreneur who runs her husband's foundation, the Novak Djokovic Foundation, which supports disadvantaged children and aims to develop early childhood education programs in Serbia.

Far from limiting herself to her role as 'wife of', Jelena Ristic is an independent and committed woman. In addition to her position as director at the Novak Djokovic Foundation, she founded her own magazine, Original, in 2015. In addition, Jelena Djokovic has a real influence on social media. On Instagram, followed by over 600,000 people, she uses her notoriety to tackle a variety of topics such as politics and fashion.

The couple Novak Djokovic and Jelena Ristic

Novak and Jelena met in Belgrade, while still in high school, in 2005. Aged 18 and 19 respectively, they fell head over heels in love. However, the two lovebirds were forced into a long-distance relationship when Jelena Ristic decided to study in Italy. For his part, Novak Djokovic travels the world to compete in various tournaments on the ATP circuit, which he has just joined.

Having overcome the difficulties of a long-distance relationship, their love seems to have grown stronger. In July 2014, the couple married on the island of Sveti Stefan, Montenegro, and Jelena became Mrs Djokovic. The two lovers often appear together at events and regularly share photos revealing moments of complicity, not hesitating to declare their love for each other on their respective Instagram accounts.

What's more, Jelena is her husband's number-one supporter. She is often seen in the stands at his tennis matches. However, her involvement in her husband's career is not limited to the sidelines of tennis games. She has supported Novak Djokovic through thick and thin, demonstrating that she is much more than a mere companion. On January 26, 2024, Novak Djokovic was beaten in the semi-finals of the Australian Grand Slam by Italy's Jannick Sinner. He nevertheless retains top spot in the ATP rankings, updated on Monday January 29.

Novak and Jelena Djokovic, parents of two children

Just married, Novak and Jelena Djokovic became parents a few months after their wedding. In October 2014, Jelena gave birth to a baby boy named Stefan. Three years later, the Djokovic family welcomed a second child: a daughter, named Tara, in September 2017.

Jelena Djokovic and her husband often share photos with Stefan and Tara, even though they are careful to preserve their children's anonymity by not revealing their faces.

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This article has been translated from Gentside FR.

Sources used:

Instagram Jelena Djokovic

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