"I was a student barely getting by & he a young tennis player with no money to spare" - When Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena recalled their early years

Novak Djokovic and wife Jelena have been married for nine years and have two kids, nine-year-old Stefan Djokovic and seven-year-old daughter Tara Djokovic, together.

However, their relationship goes even further back. The two began dating back in 2005 when they were still in college. While Jelena often travels with Djokovic on Tour now, the situation was wildly different when they first got together.

Describing them getting together as "science fiction", Jelena had in an interview with Hello magazine earlier in 2023 said she was, at the time, a student who was barely making ends meet, while Novak Djokovic was a young tennis player who was putting all his resources into making a career in the sport that was so dear to him.

"Us getting together was like science fiction almost. I was a student barely getting by, and he was a very young tennis player who also had no money to spare on expensive trips."

Jelena recalled that traveling in an airplane was not an option for either her or Novak Djokovic, so they “contrived” and “devised” other plans to meet.

"Airplanes were, at the time, something utterly out of our reach," she continued. "We contrived and devised these plans how to meet, how to make our relationship work."

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"He told me, 'Darling, we cannot go on like this'" - Jelena recalls conversation with husband Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic and wife Jelena at the 2023 US Open.

Jelena took up a job with an oil company after graduation. Her working hours and Novak Djokvic’s busy schedule meant that the two hardly got to see each other.

Recalling the point of time when Djokovic asked her to travel with him in the same interview, Jelena said the two realized that their relationship could not move forward as she was confined to her office for long hours.

"At certain point, Novak told me, 'Darling, we cannot go on like this'," Jelena said. "I was confined to the office almost at all times. It wouldn't have been possible for our relationship to thrive if I had stayed there."

Djokovic enjoyed a hugely successful 2023 season, reaching five big finals — including all four Grand Slams and the ATP Finals — and triumphing in four. With the tennis season having come to an end in November, he will be looking forward to spending some quality time with his wife and kids.