Novak Djokovic, having surpassed nearly all tennis milestones, has won the admiration of his fellow Serbian, Jelena Jankovic.
The ex-WTA World No. 1 last appeared in a professional tournament at the 2017 US Open, announcing her official retirement in July 2022. Jankovic, during her hiatus from tennis, joined Djokovic in the unfortunate Adria Tour in 2020.
Since that time, Jankovic has seldom been seen in public and has kept a quiet presence on social media platforms. Her becoming a mother for the first time in 2021 was only disclosed by Serbian media outlets to the tennis community.
In a recent and uncommon interview with the Slovenian newspaper Dnevnik, the 39-year-old shared her high regard for Djokovic, the reigning men’s No. 1. She disclosed maintaining a warm relationship with the 24-time Grand Slam winner, though they only connect from time to time.
“We talk occasionally, but I regularly congratulate him on his successes, which are almost inhuman in my terms,” she said.
Jankovic described Djokovic as a “genuine representative” of Serbian tennis. Yet, as time inevitably progresses, the former WTA standout contends that Djokovic has already surpassed every benchmark, leaving him with nothing more to demonstrate.
She hopes that the 36-year-old will further enhance his already remarkable achievements before eventually retiring, though she believes that won’t be in the near future. In her view, the 98-time ATP champion’s potential for success knows no bounds for the rest of his career.
“He is a true ambassador of our country, who has improved all records. I want him to build on them and later enjoy with his family for the rest of his life. There are no boundaries for him,” she said.
