Who Is Jelena? Philanthropist & Wife Of Tennis Player Novak Djokovic

Tennis legend Novak Djokovic clinched his first Olympic gold medal in the men's singles tournament at the Paris Games 2024 on August 4. The Serbian athlete defeated Spain's Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2) in a highly powerful finale to the tournament. Djokovic, who recently underwent knee surgery, has now become the oldest tennis Olympic champion. Alcaraz could have been the youngest Olympic tennis champion, had he won gold.

Djokovic got his redemption against Alcaraz, who had defeated the Serbian in the Wimbledon final in July 2024. He had previously clinched an Olympic bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. The joyous atmosphere at the Philippe-Chatrier was palpable as 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic won the 'Golden Slam'. 

Who Is Jelena Djokovic?

Novak Djokovic shed tears of joy as he embraced his wife, Jelena, and children, Tara and Stefan, after the Olympic win. Jelena Djokovic posted a photo of the family, medal in hand, with the caption, "Golden boy from Serbia." She is a philanthropist and social media star, who is often seen cheering for Novak from the audience with her children. The couple has been married for 10 years. She is the founder of a non-profit called Novak Foundation.  

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A post shared by Jelena Djokovic (@jelenadjokovicndf)

Jelena also reportedly voiced a character in the Serbian version of the recent Disney Pixar film, Inside Out 2. Sharing her excitement about the project on Instagram, she wrote, "Super grateful for the memorable experience of taking a short role in the Inside Out 2! I just heard it is a huge hit all across the world. In Serbia, it broke the record in the 10 days of airing (over 60k people watched it!) " However, she did not reveal the character that she voiced.

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A post shared by Jelena Djokovic (@jelenadjokovicndf)

Jelena and Novak's love story began long before their marriage in 2014. They first crossed paths as teenagers while attending the same high school in Serbia. Their mutual passion for tennis brought them together, and they dated for eight years before getting engaged in 2013, during Novak's residence in Monte Carlo.

While Novak pursued his tennis career, Jelena was equally driven in her own academic pursuits. She aspired to attend a university abroad, and despite financial challenges, she worked diligently to become an exceptional student in elementary and high school, ultimately earning scholarships to make her dream a reality.

Jelena's academic journey led her to Bocconi University in Milan, where she specialised in luxury brand management. Despite the geographical distance and their demanding schedules, Jelena and Novak managed to sustain their relationship and keep their love alive.