Novak Djokovic and Jelena Djokovic mark enduring partnership from teenage sweethearts to family life

From childhood acquaintances to lifelong partners

Tennis and mutual friends brought Novak Djokovic and Jelena Djokovic together as children growing up in Serbia. The pair first built a friendship before their relationship turned romantic and they began dating officially in 2005.

The early years were shaped by distance. While Djokovic was establishing himself on the professional tennis circuit, Jelena was studying in Italy on a scholarship. The geographical separation made the relationship difficult, with limited finances and a busy tournament schedule complicating travel to meet each other.

Engagement and marriage

After several years together, Djokovic proposed to Jelena in Monte Carlo in 2013. The couple wed in July 2014, shortly after Djokovic won his seventh Wimbledon title, marking a new chapter where their sporting and personal lives became more intertwined.

Building a family

Family became central after their wedding. Their son Stefan was born in October 2014 and their daughter Tara was born in September 2017. Djokovic has spoken publicly about the importance of family alongside his grueling sporting career.

Jelena has carved out her own identity through philanthropy as a key figure with the Novak Djokovic Foundation, focusing on early childhood education and opportunities for children in Serbia.

A partnership beyond tennis in 2026

Decades after first meeting, Djokovic and Jelena continue to balance marriage, children, charity work and the pressures of top-tier sport. Jelena is regularly seen cheering Djokovic at major tournaments while continuing her duties with the family foundation.

Their story in 2026 is about far more than Djokovic’s achievements on court, tracing a journey from teenage friendship and a long-distance relationship to marriage and raising two children alongside one of the most remarkable careers in modern tennis.