Jelena Djokovic once revealed that her husband, World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, considered walking away from tennis altogether back in 2018.

Djokovic has crafted one of the most decorated careers the sport has ever seen, earning recognition as one of the greatest athletes in history. Yet his journey hasn’t been without difficult periods — particularly in 2017, when persistent elbow troubles created one of the toughest stretches of his career.

The Serb made his comeback in 2018, but the season began on a challenging note. He bowed out in the fourth round of the Australian Open and endured early second-round defeats at both Indian Wells and Miam

He said to me that he’s quitting, and that’s the truth. He lost in Miami and that was a terrible loss and then, he just gathered all of us inside, ‘You know what guys, I’m done.’ We cried and we were like ‘What are you doing? This is not the time,'” she said…..

Jelena added that during a family holiday, she took their children out to play tennis for fun. Watching them enjoy themselves on court, Djokovic eventually asked if he could join in as well.

We went on a holiday together and then I was playing because when he decides he doesn’t want to play tennis, he doesn’t want to see tennis, he doesn’t want to have anything to do with tennis, and I love tennis,” she said.….

Novak Djokovic has won 12 Grand Slam titles since 2018

By the time Djokovic suffered his second-round defeat at the 2018 Miami Open, he had already amassed 12 Grand Slam titles. Remarkably, he has added another 12 Major trophies to his collection in the years since

Djokovic captured Wimbledon and the US Open in 2018, then followed up with titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2019. In 2020, he once again triumphed in Melbourne, successfully defending his Australian Open crown.

The 2021 season proved unforgettable, as he secured three Grand Slam titles and came within one match of completing the Calendar Slam, ultimately falling to Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final.

*Although Djokovic played only two Grand Slam events in 2022, he still walked away with the Wimbledon title.

His 2023 season has been outstanding as well, with the Serb winning every Major except Wimbledon, further solidifying his dominance on the tour.**