Novak Djokovic has shared an awkward story about how his wife Jelena once dated a tennis rival and friend before they got together, a topic that remains off-limits between the two men.
The 38-year-old Serbian tennis star, now married to Jelena with two children, revealed the surprising tale during an interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored. He explained that he first heard of Jelena when his friend, a fellow tennis player, declared his love for her on a T-shirt after winning a youth league match.
“He took out his jersey and underneath the jersey he had a white shirt written, ‘Jelena, I love you. This is for you’,” Djokovic recalled. “And we were like, ‘Oh my god that’s so lame, why would you do that?’ And then, ‘Who is this Jelena?’ And it was her.”
Djokovic and Jelena met shortly after and were part of the same social circle for four to five years before they started dating when he moved to Monte Carlo. He described her as “the love of my life” and noted that she is his only serious long-term relationship.
Despite the awkward history, Djokovic said he and his friend remain on good terms but have never discussed the situation. “We are both very uncomfortable. We still remain mates, so it’s good,” he added.
Jelena, a former tennis player, now serves as director of the Novak Djokovic Foundation, which they founded in 2007 to support children in Serbia.
