Novak Djokovic has already told John McEnroe how he feels about his wife and tennis

Novak Djokovic has always been quick to defend his wife, Jelena, particularly when others question their relationship. The tennis world No. 1 was spotted in a heated conversation with Jelena during his French Open fourth-round victory over Francisco Cerundolo, during which he was suffering from a knee injury that has since seen him pull out of the tournament.

Both appeared agitated after Djokovic made a mistake in the first set. “I had a small exchange of smiles with Jelena. She is my new psychologist,” he explained post-match. Back in 2017, John McEnroe compared Djokovic’s dip in form to the problems golf icon Tiger Woods had after splitting from wife Ellen Nordegren. The American claimed he was having “off-court issues with the family.”

McEnroe added: “The person that comes to mind immediately with Novak is not a tennis player, it’s actually a golfer: Tiger Woods. Woods had the issues with his wife and then he seemed to go completely off the rails. He’s never been even close to being the same player. So we’re starting to say: ‘Wait a minute, is this possible with him, Djokovic?'”

His comments certainly raised eyebrows, but Djokovic was quick to dismiss them and protect his family, telling reporters: “He’s very well known for his kind of bold comments and not really caring too much about being politically correct but saying whatever is on his mind. He has his right to say the things he wants to say. I don’t necessarily need to agree with that. But it’s his right.”

Djokovic has previously admitted that being in a relationship with him can be challenging, and confessed that Jelena often finds it difficult. “She runs with the wolf,” Djokovic stated in 2021. “It can be very stressful to run with the wolf. I know that she doesn’t enjoy it at all times. It’s kind of living on the edge with the wolf. I love her, she’s my great support.”

Jelena, a humanitarian and businesswoman from Serbia, has also spoken about the challenges of fame. “We look at public figures and think that kind of publicity is okay,” Jelena shared with Vesti Online in 2020.

“But as time goes on, you lack anonymity, you lack the privacy to be able to do whatever you like at any time, in any situation. I try to resist all these expectations to always be myself and for Novak to be able to be himself.”
Despite the challenges, the couple continues to navigate their journey together. They started dating in 2005 and are now looking forward to celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary next month.