Novak Djokovic's relationship with wife – including John McEnroe row and rocky first date

Novak Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam titles to date and has long been cheered on by his wife Jelena Ristic through his career. The couple were actually seen rowing during a match at the French Open earlier this year – but Jelena proudly watched from the sidelines when Djokovic later clinched an elusive Olympic gold medal in Paris.

The pair met at school and got engaged in 2013, marrying on the island of Sveti Stefan in Montenegro a year later. At the time of the ceremony, Jelena was pregnant with the couple’s first child, their son Stefan – named after their wedding location – before their daughter Tara arrived in 2017. They are also co-founders of the Novak Djokovic Foundation, with Ristic working as CEO.

However, their relationship, which began in 2005, could easily have not panned out that way after a potentially disastrous first date. In an attempt to impress Jelena, Djokovic booked a table at a lavish sports bar in Monte Carlo, but the evening took a turn for the worse when the tennis ace opted to order food for both of them.

“In my eyes, at the time it was a very exclusive place to take her," Djokovic recalled in 2016. "I wanted to impress her so I found this very good restaurant."

Sitting alongside his wife, Jelena replied: "Awkward moment, he wants to order for me and it wasn't what I expected." Djokovic made the mishap of ordering steak tartare, with both of them not feeling up to tackling the raw dish.

"I called the waiter over and explained the steak was underdone," Djokovic said, before embarrassingly being informed: "’You ordered the steak tartare, it's always served raw'."

"Whenever we see a steak tartare on the menu it reminds us of our first date," he added.

The couple navigated long-distance as Djokovic focused on his career and Ristic studied at the Bocconi University in Milan, before settling down in Monte Carlo, with Jelena completing her degree at Monaco’s International University. Despite their lasting love, the couple have faced their share of hurdles in the public eye. Djokovic was the subject of infidelity rumours, coinciding with some bad results, with tennis icon John McEnroe comparing his loss of form in 2017 to Tiger Woods' drop-off in golf.

"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,” McEnroe said. “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?'"

In 2016, Djokovic had admitted to dealing with “private issues” but dismissed McEnroe’s comments. "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,” Djokovic said. “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.”

Now, Djokivic’s marriage seems firmly back on track, with the seven-time Wimbledon dedicating a heartfelt poem to his wife on their anniversary in July. While their wedding would have always remained an unforgettable day, it took on added significance when Djokovic claimed his third Wimbledon title in 2015.

"My anniversary is actually today. Becoming parents in October was another great dimension of love and energy for us. Got us even closer together,” Djokovic said. "Whether I'm winning or losing, she's always there. Family's always there. When I go back home, I'm not a tennis player anymore. I'm a father and a husband.

"That's a 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 won many tournaments. I suggest that to every player, 'get married, have kids, let's enjoy this'."