Novak Djokovic’s wife makes a big claim about her husband’s popularity
Novak Djokovic has spent most of his career trying to win a popularity battle with hostile tennis fans, but his wife believes he will always be the ‘people’s champion’.
The long-time partner of the 24-time Grand Slam champion has been a vital part of his success over the last two decades since the couple met while they were at school.
Now they are raising their children Stefan and Tara, with the family travelling around the world supporting Novak in the final phases of his career.
After the superstar in the Djokovic household opened in a big interview with La Nacion last week, Jelena also spent time with the publication as she looked back over their story as a couple.
While Djokovic has not always been a favourite with tennis fans around the world, his wife suggests his success story from humble beginnings is inspirational to his admirers.
“When we look at what is happening in the world, tennis is such a small prism of life, but it brings happiness to people. It brings joy. It brings hope,” she continued.
“And there is something like that that he wants to leave. I like to see him as a champion of the common people. Not of the rich people. Because he is a common man who comes from a very simple family, from a family of workers and dreamers,” said Jelena.
“And traveling around the world, you see a lot of people who are inspired by his story because they are also similar to him.
“Tennis is a very luxurious sport, a white sport, a sport of rich people, but Novak’s fans are ordinary people, people with ordinary jobs, and they can’t always afford to have tickets to go see his matches.
“When you walk down the street, and you see the workers who build buildings or whatever, they shout: ‘Hey, Novak!’ Everyone stops him. I think that is what gives him the power and the energy to keep going.
“Even though he has already achieved everything, I think his greatest victory is being a champion of the people, yes. He is the people’s champion.”
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It was when she spoke about their children that the most chamring comments emerged, as Jelena suggested Stefan and Tara don’t hold back in reminding friends who their Dad is.
“They are very young, so they don’t understand a lot of important things that he represents for people, but they do understand that he is a hard worker and he is very respected,” she said.
“Because they see him when they travel and there are a lot of fans and they see the attention he gets. So they understand it. And I can hear them saying, ‘You know who my dad is.’
“It’s kind of childish bragging, but the other meaning they are learning through the work of the foundation. Because this is what Novak wants as well, for his legacy to be to change the world for children. Because he once had a dream as a child and he achieved it.”
Jelena spends much of her time working with projects associated with the Novak Djokovic Foundation and when she looks to the future, she hopes her husband’s legacy can be an inspiration for those hoping the world can live in peace.”
