“I ENVY HER” – Novak Djokovic’s Wife Jelena Breaks Down in Tears Over Isolation and Family Strains: “No One Is by My Side… I Envy Mery Perelló’s Love from Nadal and His Family.” Tennis World Stunned as Nadal’s Wife Responds with Heartfelt 21-Word Message of Comfort
In the glittering yet unforgiving world of professional tennis, where Grand Slams and glory often eclipse the human cost, few stories hit as hard as the one unfolding behind the baseline. On November 8, 2025, during a rare, unfiltered interview with Serbia’s Blic magazine at the Novak Djokovic Foundation gala in Belgrade, Jelena Djokovic – the stoic architect of her husband’s 24 Grand Slam empire – shattered her composed facade. Tears streaming down her face, the 38-year-old mother of two clutched a glass of water like a lifeline, her voice cracking as she confessed a vulnerability that has simmered for years: the crushing isolation of life in Novak’s shadow.
“I wanted to stay strong, for him, for our children,” Jelena began, her Serbian accent thickening with emotion. “But lately, the arguments… they’ve been about this. The loneliness. No one is by my side. Everyone is permeating in her life – the foundation, the travel, the endless support from his team. I feel abandoned, like a total failure.” The room fell silent as she paused, dabbing her eyes with a napkin. Then came the bombshell: “I envy her. I envy Mery Perelló. She has the love of Rafael Nadal, yes, but also the unwavering support of his entire family. They rally around her like a fortress. Me? I’m out here holding it all together, invisible.”
The confession, raw and unscripted, sent ripples across the tennis universe. Jelena, who met Novak in high school and married him in 2014 after a decade of on-again, off-again romance amid his meteoric rise, has long been the unsung hero of the Djokovic dynasty. As director of the Novak Djokovic Foundation, she’s poured her soul into educating disadvantaged children in Serbia, raising over €10 million since 2007. Yet, behind the power suits and poised smiles at Roland Garros or Wimbledon, cracks have formed. Recent months have been brutal: Novak’s shoulder injury sidelined him from the ATP Finals, sparking heated home debates about retirement and work-life balance. Sources close to the couple whisper of late-night arguments in their Monte Carlo villa, where Jelena’s pleas for more family time clash with Novak’s relentless drive.
Jelena’s envy toward Maria Francisca “Mery” Perelló – Nadal’s wife of five years and mother to their son Rafael Jr. – isn’t born of malice but profound exhaustion. Perelló, 36, embodies the grounded life Jelena craves. A childhood friend of Nadal from Mallorca, she shuns the spotlight, rarely attending matches to avoid distracting her husband. Instead, she anchors him post-tournament, surrounded by the Nadal clan’s fierce loyalty: his parents, Sebastián and Ana Maria; sister Maribel; and uncle Toni, the legendary coach. “They have this beautiful, insular world,” Jelena continued in the interview, her voice barely above a whisper. “Rafa retires, and Mery gets to rebuild with him, wrapped in family arms. Novak? He’s eternal. And I’m… just trying to keep up.”
The tennis community, no stranger to the Big Three’s intertwined legacies, reacted with a mix of shock and empathy. Roger Federer’s wife, Mirka, who endured similar strains during Roger’s 20-year career, posted a subtle Instagram story: a photo of wildflowers with the caption, “Strength in silence, sister.” Andy Murray, fresh off his own family battles, tweeted: “These conversations save lives. Jelena, you’re not alone. #MentalHealthInSport.” But it was Nadal’s camp that responded with grace. Hours after the interview aired, Perelló – known for her low-key Instagram presence – broke her usual reticence with a 21-word message on her private story, shared via close friends but quickly screenshotted and circulated:
“Jelena, your heart carries a world most never see. Family is a choice – we choose you too. Strength from afar, with love. – Mery, Rafa & ours.”
The brevity masked profound solidarity. Nadal, retired since 2024 but still a Mallorca fixture, reportedly called Jelena personally that evening, sources say. “Rafa told her, ‘We’ve all been there. The court’s a beast, but home is the real win,'” a mutual friend revealed to El País. Perelló’s words, elegant and empathetic, transformed a moment of vulnerability into a bridge between tennis’s most iconic families. Fans flooded social media with #JelenaStrong and #WAGSolidarity, praising the women who “hold up the giants.”
For Jelena, the outpouring has been bittersweet. In a follow-up statement to Blic, she clarified: “This wasn’t about comparison; it’s about admitting I’m human. Novak and I are working through it – therapy, more family trips. But yes, sometimes I look at Mery and think, ‘That’s the balance I deserve too.'” Djokovic, sidelined by injury and fresh off his Athens title win, has been “devastated but supportive,” per insiders. The couple, parents to Stefan (8) and Tara (7), plans a low-key family retreat to Serbia’s mountains next week – a first in months without training schedules.
This isn’t the first glimpse into Jelena’s quiet struggles. In 2021, during Novak’s vaccine saga and Australian Open deportation, she faced online vitriol alone while he battled courts. “I felt like a single parent in a fishbowl,” she later admitted. And in 2018, when Novak contemplated quitting amid slumps, Jelena’s encouragement – “Fight for us” – pulled him back. Yet, as he chases immortality (101 ATP titles and counting), the toll on her mounts.
Perelló’s response underscores a rare sisterhood among tennis WAGs. Unlike the drama of other sports, these women – from Mirka’s Swiss pragmatism to Georgina Rodríguez’s flair with Messi – often bond over shared sacrifices. “We’re the invisible MVPs,” Perelló once quipped in a rare 2023 interview. Her message to Jelena? A reminder that envy can evolve into alliance.
As the off-season looms, Jelena’s tears have sparked broader conversations: the mental health of partners in elite sports, the “envy tax” of fame, and the quiet revolutions women like her ignite. Novak, ever the competitor, might chase one more Slam. But Jelena? She’s sprinting toward her own finish line – one where she’s not just the support act, but the star.
