Jelena Djokovic, born Jelena Ristić, is a Serbian philanthropist, businesswoman, sustainability advocate, global CEO of the Novak Djokovic Foundation, and the high school sweetheart who has stood by Novak Djokovic through all 24 of his Grand Slam titles.
She met Novak when they were both teenagers at the same Belgrade high school. They began dating in 2005 and married in July 2014 at the Aman Sveti Stefan resort in Montenegro, one of the most breathtaking wedding venues in professional sports.
When asked about the secret to his extraordinary longevity and success, Novak once said: “Ever since I got married and became a father, I haven’t lost many matches. I’ve won many tournaments. I suggest that to every player: get married, have kids, let’s enjoy this.”
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Jelena Djokovic Biography
She was born on June 17, 1986, in Belgrade, Serbia and is approximately one year older than Novak Djokovic, who was born in May 1987.
Jelena Djokovic was born to parents Miomir and Vera Ristić and grew up in Belgrade alongside her older sister, Marija.
The Ristić family was well established within Belgrade’s professional community, and Jelena was raised with strong values centred on education, service, and personal ambition, principles that have defined her professional life.
She attended the same Belgrade high school as Novak Djokovic, where the two first met as teenagers. After graduating, she pursued higher education at Bocconi University in Milan, one of Europe’s most prestigious business schools, where she earned a degree in Business Administration.
Bocconi is consistently ranked among the world’s leading business schools, and her decision to study there reflects the academic dedication and international outlook that have characterised her career.
She is fluent in Serbian, English, Italian, and French, a linguistic range that has served her well in international philanthropy and business. Jelena is known for her elegant and sophisticated personal style, making her one of the most admired figures at tennis tournaments, charity galas, and international business conferences.
She is active on Instagram under the handle @jelenadjokovic, where she shares family moments, philanthropic initiatives, sustainability advocacy, and occasional insights into Novak’s career.
Her social media presence, consistently warm and thoughtful, offers one of the few authentic glimpses into the Djokovic family’s private life.
Career
Jelena Djokovic is one of the most professionally accomplished and influential spouses in the history of tennis, with a career spanning three distinct fields that exist independently of her role as Novak Djokovic’s most visible supporter.
She is the co-founder and global CEO of the Novak Djokovic Foundation, a position she has held since the organisation was established in 2007.
The foundation was created to improve access to quality early childhood education for disadvantaged children in Serbia and has since grown into one of the world’s most respected sports charities.
Jelena has served as its strategic and operational leader, overseeing programmes that have reached more than 22,000 children, helped build or renovate more than 50 preschools, and trained over 2,500 educators.
She has spoken at the United Nations General Assembly, delivered TEDx talks on early childhood education, and represented the foundation at leading international conferences, establishing herself as a respected voice in global philanthropy.
Her second major professional focus is sustainability and environmental advocacy. She co-founded the Educo Foundation, an organisation dedicated to environmental education and community development.
She has also integrated sustainability initiatives into the Novak Djokovic Foundation’s educational programmes across Serbia.
Her environmental work reflects long-standing personal convictions. Her third professional role is as a business partner and strategic adviser to Novak across his commercial ventures.
She has played an important role in shaping business decisions throughout his career and has represented their shared interests within the global sports industry.
The Djokovic family has investments in food and wellness brands, real estate, and media production, all of which benefit from Jelena’s business education at Bocconi and her extensive international network.
In 2020, Jelena attracted significant criticism after sharing posts on Instagram discussing alternative approaches to health and medicine.
The posts generated widespread debate among medical professionals and the public during a period of heightened global health concerns.
She later addressed the controversy, acknowledging the responsibility that comes with her public platform and expressing a commitment to continued learning.
The episode highlighted both the reach of her influence and the importance of communicating responsibly.
Novak Djokovic’s Wife
Jelena Ristić and Novak Djokovic first met as teenagers while attending the same high school in Belgrade. Two teenagers from the same city formed a relationship that has endured more than two decades of extraordinary success, public scrutiny, and the unique pressures of life at the pinnacle of professional sport.
Novak turned professional in 2003 at the age of 16 and began climbing the ATP rankings. He and Jelena officially began dating in 2005, two years into his professional career, when they were both around 18 years old.
For the next eight years, they maintained a long-distance relationship while balancing Novak’s demanding tennis schedule and Jelena’s studies at Bocconi University in Milan.
Their commitment during those years laid the foundation for a partnership that would withstand Grand Slam victories, public controversies, and the pressures of international fame.
Novak proposed in September 2013, the same year he reached three Grand Slam finals. They publicly announced their engagement, confirming that their long-standing relationship was entering its next chapter.
On July 10, 2014, just days after Novak won his second Wimbledon title, they married at the Aman Sveti Stefan resort on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast.
The historic fortified island setting, overlooking the sea, was widely regarded as one of the most spectacular wedding venues in professional sport and reflected the couple’s shared appreciation for beauty, privacy, and understated elegance.
Children
Their son, Stefan Djokovic, was born in October 2014, just three months after their wedding. Their daughter, Tara Djokovic, followed in September 2017. The couple have raised both children with an emphasis on family values, education, and exposure to different cultures and languages.
Stefan has shown an early interest in both sports and academics. Both children regularly accompany their parents to major tournaments when school commitments allow and are familiar faces in players’ family areas at Grand Slam events.
Novak has frequently spoken about Jelena’s influence on both his life and career. One of his best-known reflections is:
“Whether I am winning or losing, she is always there. Family is always there. When I go back home, I am not a tennis player anymore. I am a father and a husband. That is the kind of balance that I think allows me to play this well. Ever since I got married and became a father, I haven’t lost many matches. I’ve won many tournaments. I suggest that to every player: get married, have kids, let’s enjoy this.”
His comments reflect his long-held belief that personal fulfilment and professional excellence strengthen one another. In April 2026, rumours circulated on social media claiming that Novak and Jelena were divorcing following a tabloid report.
Those claims were publicly debunked on April 25, 2026. Novak and Jelena remain together. During Wimbledon 2026, Jelena continued to support Novak from the player family area, attending practice sessions and matches as he progressed through the tournament toward a semi-final against Jannik Sinner.
The Novak Djokovic Foundation
The Novak Djokovic Foundation, which Jelena Djokovic co-founded with Novak in 2007 and has led as Global CEO since its inception, is one of the most consequential philanthropic organizations associated with any active professional athlete in the world.
The foundation operates on a simple but powerful premise: access to quality early childhood education is one of the most impactful investments any society can make in its future.
Jelena has championed this message before the United Nations General Assembly, the Global Education and Skills Forum, the Clinton Global Initiative, and dozens of other world-leading conferences over more than a decade of advocacy.
Her ability to represent the foundation’s mission at the highest levels of international discourse reflects both her personal expertise and her extraordinary command of multiple languages and cultural contexts.
The foundation has built or renovated more than 50 preschool facilities across Serbia, trained more than 2,500 early childhood educators, and reached over 22,000 children through quality education programs.
It has partnered with UNICEF, the Open Society Foundations, and numerous other major international organizations to expand its impact beyond what a single private foundation could achieve independently.
Jelena Djokovic delivered a TEDx talk at TEDxNoviSad titled Why We Should Act Local While Thinking Global, in which she argued for locally rooted community development as the foundation of broader social change.
The talk reflected her ability to translate complex philanthropic strategies into compelling human stories that resonate with audiences far beyond the charitable and academic communities typically engaged in these conversations.
She has also been a vocal advocate for girls’ education, speaking about the importance of investing in early childhood development to improve girls’ long-term opportunities and outcomes.
Her advocacy has connected the foundation’s core mission to one of the world’s most significant ongoing conversations about gender equality and human development.
Jelena Djokovic’s Net Worth
Jelena Djokovic’s net worth is estimated at $2 million to $5 million, reflecting her long-standing role as Global CEO of the Novak Djokovic Foundation, her business activities, and other independent professional endeavors.
She has never publicly disclosed her personal finances, and any specific figure should be regarded as an estimate based on her verified professional background and public activities.
Her husband, Novak Djokovic, has an estimated net worth of $260 million, making him one of the wealthiest tennis players in history. His career prize money alone exceeds $170 million, while his endorsement earnings have averaged approximately $20 million to $30 million annually during the peak years of his career.
The Djokovic family’s business interests, including food brands, wellness products, real estate, and media ventures, represent additional wealth beyond these publicly verified figures.
The family is based primarily in Monte Carlo, Monaco, which serves as their main residence during the tennis season. They also own a home in Marbella, Spain, along with other properties across Europe.